UK's legendary extreme Metal icons CRADLE OF FILTH have released the first official video trailer for their eagerly awaited 12th album, Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay. Watch Dani Filth talk about the inspiration that is Victorian horror.

Furthermore the band announces the release date for the second single off the album. You Will Know The Lion By His Claw will be released on Tuesday, August 8.

Up-and-coming Finnish Metal revivalists MAUSOLEUM GATE have released the lyric video for Solomon's Key. The song is culled from their forthcoming sophomore Into A Dark Divinity album, which is set for a September 8 release by Cruz Del Sur Music.

Stocked with the band's now-trademark guitar harmonies along with the theatrical, stratospheric voice of V-P Varpula, Solomon's Key is a total throwback to when classy songwriting and imagery ruled above all else. Adorned with images from Into A Dark Divinity's album cover, the lyric video for Solomon's Key is just a small glimpse of the majesty that awaits.

Into A Dark Divinity is the follow-up to MAUSOLEUM GATE's critically-acclaimed 2014 self-titled debut. Like its predecessor, Into A Dark Divinity capitalizes upon MAUSOLEUM GATE's inventive blend of DEEP PURPLE-like dynamics and IRON MAIDEN guitar interplay, all topped off with the high-wire vocals of Varpula. Singular, alluring and able to captivate audiences of all varieties, MAUSOLEUM GATE represent a new front in authentic vintage Metal.

ARCH ENEMY and TRIVIUM are excited to announce plans for a co-headlining tour across North America later this Fall. Featuring support from English metalcore outfit While She Sleeps and New Jersey deathcore act Fit For An Autopsy, the tour will kick off on October 27 in Orlando, FL and make its way across the U.S. and Canada before finishing on December 6 in Houston, TX.

Founding ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott exclaimed, "Very much looking forward to returning to North America with this tour! We are aware that it has been long overdue and we appreciate everyone's patience while we've been creating our new Will To Power album. This run will be like a family reunion with our old friends in Trivium; together we'll be crushing city after city with the power of Heavy Metal! Good times ahead, don't miss the fun!"

TRIVIUM further stated, "We've been joining forces with Arch Enemy for over a decade now. From Ozzfest 2005, through arenas across the U.K., Europe, and Australia on The Black Crusade. This next chapter is going to be one for the ages: Trivium, Arch Enemy, While She Sleeps, and Fit for an Autopsy!!! DO NOT MISS THIS!!!"

ARCH ENEMY & TRIVIUM NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2017 (featuring support from While She Sleeps & Fit For An Autopsy)

Pittsburgh, PA traditional Metal force ARGUS have released the lyric video for You Are The Curse, which is taken from their forthcoming From Fields Of Fire album. The LP is set for a September 8 release via Cruz Del Sur Music.

Comments vocalist Brian 'Butch' Balich: "You Are The Curse was the first song we wrote for From Fields Of Fire. Dave Watson brought it in and it immediately fit. I knew we had exciting things coming for the album when it came together. It's classic ARGUS and a good song to introduce From Fields of Fire to our friends worldwide. It's an up-tempo, rhythmically aggressive but melodic song shot through with dark undertones. Lyrically, this song deals with the idea that sometimes we need look no further than ourselves for why things go wrong in our lives…as you sow so shall you reap. It's been a live mainstay for about a year-and-a-half and one we expect to play often."

To coincide with the release of From Fields Of Fire, ARGUS is embarking on a nine-date European tour with Chicago high-energy rock heroes HIGH SPIRITS. The tour kicks off September 8 in Dornbirn, Austria, culminating with their September 16 appearance at the Storm Crusher festival in Püchersreuth, Germany.

"HIGH SPIRITS have been friends of ours for several years and a band we all really dig a lot", says Balich. "We are very excited that this came together — it's going to be a great show for the fans of both bands — the energy HIGH SPIRITS and ARGUS put out on stage is very high, and I think we complement and balance each other as well. It truly is a can't miss show. We'll be playing material from the new album, of course, but expect to hear something from every album including a couple songs we haven't played in a long time. All of us in ARGUS cannot wait to return to Europe. It's something we look forward to doing every year and this trip is going to be a blast getting to hang out with and watch HIGH SPIRITS every night, too!"

Frontiers Music Srl is pleased to announce the first live release by Tyketto, LIVE FROM MILAN 2017! The CD/ DVD, Blu-Ray, Vinyl, and MP3 (audio only) will be out on October 13, 2017!

Danny Vaughn says: "It's been 25 years in the making. From the beginning our goal was to always put on the best live show we could possibly do. This, more than anything else, is what has kept the band alive in the hearts and minds of the fans. And the quotes that our fans have kindly provided for us in the CD booklet bear this out. We are a no frills, no gimmicks, warts and all, balls out rock and roll band. No more, no less. And our audience are family to us. They are just as responsible for how good this concert is as we are. Everybody brought their best game. All that's left to do is to sit back and enjoy!"

The line-up comprised of founding members vocalist Danny Vaughn and drummer Michael Clayton Arbeeny along with guitar wizard Chris Green, bassist Chris Childs (THUNDER) and ex-TEN keyboardist Ged Rylands, TYKETTO co-headlined 'Day 1' of FRF IV and blew the roof off with their performance of the classic Don’t Come Easy album from back to front (yes, back to front, not front to back)! Cameras were there to capture every riveting moment and now, with great pleasure, Frontiers Music Srl is pleased to release this special performance on CD/DVD and Blu-Ray! Michael Arbeeny says: "If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a thousand pictures. Tyketto - Live in Milan 2017 not only brings the songs of DON'T COME EASY to life, but also shows the passion and excitement the band takes onstage at every performance. LIVE IN MILAN is simply five brothers enjoying the hell out of what they do... with a few thousand friends stopping by to join the party."

Tyketto's debut album, Don't Come Easy is considered a landmark release amongst Melodic Hard Rock albums of the late '80s/early '90s. While the band has continuously put out quality recordings over the years, fans and critics alike hold the debut album in especially high regard. So, it was with great pleasure that after releasing the band's most recent studio album, Reach, Frontiers invited the band to play Frontiers Rock Festival IV in Milan, IT to not only play tracks from more recent releases, but to play Don't Come Easy in it's entirety to an adoring audience!
TRACKLISTING:
CD

Armoros from Victoria, British Columbia, formed in 1985, and they recorded their stunning debut in 1988. Add some bad luck to the story and you know why it took this Thrash masterpiece almost thirty years to finally be released the way it was meant to in the first place. Pieces came out via High Roller Records in 2015 and it definitely has made some waves in the wider thrash scene. Now Armoros are presenting their fans with another release, a double LP compilation bearing the enticing title AApparitions - an Ode to Thrash.

Rick Lee, who handles both vocals and bass in Armoros, tells us what we can expect from this new release. It has all the demo songs, that's for sure, but are there not also some previously unreleased tracks on it, like e.g. Headsman? Rick: "Well, the compilation has all the songs from all our demos and yes, a rehearsal version of Dementia which was originally called The Headsman. After our former vocalist Kevin Wright left we didn't have the lyrics for it so I rewrote it as Dementia, but for some reason I didn't want to sing it, so Jed took that one."

Where and when were the songs recorded that are now brought together on this release? Of course, Rick still remembers this, and all the details, too: "Debut Assault was recorded at a college in Victoria as a project for a friend's communications course. Ressurecdead was recorded at Roan Sound Recording studio (I think we paid $200 for it). Remember Michelle was actually recorded twice... the first time was at some guy's home recording studio and we all hated it!!! So we redid it at Downtown Sound if I remember correctly... The '92 Demo was recorded at Degrasee Studio but was never finished for various reasons. Hence it has no guitar solos and isn't mixed or mastered... really raw material."

For sure each single demo must have meant an important step for the band. The second and third demo brought Armoros some decent attention around the world, including reviews in Kerrang! and Metal Forces, right? "Well, Debut was an important recording for a few reasons... I joined the band during that session and Jed had left to work in the Alberta oil fields but came back near the end so it helped form what would become the later version of the band. Also, it gave us a start to building a following in our home town by selling a few copies in our local music store. Ressurecdead was kinda the first recording of what would become ARMOROS. We went through a really uncertain time after Kevin left, and that demo was the result of us coming through the other side. We were resurrected. It is also the one we got a great review in Metal Forces for and it put us out there internationally. Remember Michelle I think really solidified us as a band. We were all living together at the time and had the same vision. And it also got good reviews in Metal Forces and Kerrang! The '92 demo was a double-edged sword. We had split up for a couple years and we attempted to get back together, and you can really hear the musical growth we had all gone through. And although I’m proud of it some would argue it's not a PURE Armoros recording... but I guess fans can decide for themselves."
In our last conversation, Rick mentioned that some of his friends were knee-deep into tape trading back then. How did this help to get Armoros' music out into the world? And does he think there are still some original copies around? "Having friends who were into tape trading showed us that 'Hey, if these bands can do it... so can we!' I sent 10 copies out to random people from the back of Metal Forces for free just to see what the response would be, and it developed from there. We had a pretty extensive mailing list at one point... and yes, I'm pretty sure at least a few of our friends still have original copies around."

Last time Rick also mentioned that the local scene in Victoria was very small, and that people were at best listening to bands like The Scorpions. So, how did the band's local and personal environment actually react to the demos? Were Armoros heard at all, did they get a chance to play live, or were they rather treated like a group of Thrash Metal outcasts?
Rick on that: "The first demo kinda kicked it off. We sold a few copies locally and people seemed to like it despite the questionable quality. This in turn attracted some people to our first shows. I don't think a lot of the other bands liked us too much early on, but the scene grew after a while and there were more bands like us popping up. Eventually there was a great scene happening. There was a local magazine that did an extensive article on us back then, and they called us 'The grandfathers of Victoria Metal'... never dawned on me before... but I guess they were kinda right."

Now let's get back into the present, back to the new release. Does the title Apparitions – an Ode to Thrash allude to the song title Apparition of Force which first appeared on the Remember Michelle demo? "Yes, it does. When High Roller was asking what we might want to call it, it occurred to me that these songs are like GHOSTS from the past. That triggered the word apparitions, which had been part of one of our songs. It didn't fly right away... and after Ode to Thrash was submitted, I resubmitted my idea, and everyone liked the idea of adding them together."

In how far does Apparitions – an Ode to Thrash differ from the compilation that came out in 2008 on the Brazilian label Marquee Records (Piece by Piece – the Anthology)? Rick explains: "Well, it's been completely re-mastered and it is a 2 LP vinyl gate fold with great cover art. It's really an attempt to give fans a comprehensive package – just get the music out there in a fun old school way. This will be a collector for any fan of the band." Sure he's right there.

As Rick just mentioned before, all the songs were remastered by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony. What was working with him like? How much has actually been changed about the old recordings? "Patrick did another amazing job. It's cleaner, it's brighter... he really pulled everything out of those old recordings he could... he's a Metal God." He surely loves to hear that.

The compilation also comes with an amazing, grim and dark cover artwork – who contributed it? "Our guitarist Mike Sudar used to do all our artwork. He sent some stuff to the High Rollers graphic department and Alexander von Wielding did an amazing cover for it. He also redesigned our symbol (it's on the back). He also did a great job on the layout."

If we now take a look at the more recent past: What has changed for Armoros since the debut Pieces was finally released properly in 2015? Did they finally get a bit of the recognition they deserve? "You know, I'm still amazed at the longevity the music has. We are the band that just won't die! We get likes constantly on our Facebook page, people are still discovering us, and that's pretty amazing." That truly is amazing. Do Armoros also receive any offers to play live? Have they maybe actually thought about reforming the band? Rick gives a somewhat hopeful answer to this one: "Someone mentioned that on Facebook the other day. It's not in the realm of impossibility but it would take a lot of things to align... Mike and I still play a couple of those songs from time to time... Jed is across the country and busy... but I think if we were to get an offer that is worthwhile... maybe some European festivals or something... could see an avenue to make that happen... but it's a long shot." So, let's just hope that all the right people get to read this answer.

Now what is left to say about Apparitions – an Ode to Thrash? Rick: "Just a BIG thank you to all who have supported the band all these years... and a BIG thank you to HIGH ROLLER for believing in our music enough to invest in us... If you haven't already, order PIECES, order APPARITIONS – an Ode to Thrash, and Keep Thrashing!"
tracklist:

Sacrifice

The Winds of Bacata

Forbidden Zone

Armor Us

Headsmen

Terminal Death

Euphoria

Autopsy Dementia

Cry of the Unborn

Remember Michelle

Apparition of Force

Critical Mass

The Dead

Shadows

From Thin Air

Judgment Day

Insight

Glockenspiel

Threshold of Pain

Ode to the Past

Tracks 01-04: Debut Assault (Demo 1986)

Track 05: Headsmen Rehearsal August 1986

Tracks 06-09: Resurrecdead (Demo 1986)

racks 10-13: Remember Michelle (Demo 1988)

Track 14: Outtake from original session

Tracks 15-20: Demo 1993

InsideOut Music / Next To None launch 'Mr Mime' stream from new album 'Phases'

Rising young metallers Next To None released their sophomore album Phases at the end of June, in Europe via InsideOutMusic & in North America via EMP. Now they have launched a stream of the trackMr Mime.

"Mr. Mime has different vibe then most of our other songs on the album, the chorus is melodic yet creepy and something you wouldn't expect to hear", comments the bands bassist Kris Rank. Vocalist Thomas Cuce adds "Some people know of Mr. Mime as a Pokémon but it's actually about Stockholm Syndrome and the person being abused is like a mime in the relationship."

For the past few months, rumours have been circulating about a new secret project including former Dream Theater members Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian. Now, the time has come to make the grand and highly anticipated introduction to their new band, SONS OF APOLLO.

Reuniting to form SONS OF APOLLO, Portnoy and Sherinian have joined forces with Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal (ex-Guns N' Roses), Billy Sheehan (The Winery Dogs, Mr. Big, David Lee Roth) and Jeff Scott Soto (ex-Journey, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force). Their debut album, PSYCHOTIC SYMPHONY, will be released 20th October on InsideOutMusic/Sony Music.

PSYCHOTIC SYMPHONY was produced by the dynamic production duo of Portnoy and Sherinian, also affectionately known as 'The Del Fuvio Brothers', which is the nickname given to them over 20 years ago during their time together in Dream Theater.

SONS OF APOLLO got together very organically, as Portnoy explains: "Derek and I reunited shortly after I left Dream Theater in 2010 and we put together an all-instrumental touring band with he and I, Billy Sheehan, and Tony MacAlpine. That was my first time working with Derek since the '90s when he was in Dream Theater and it was just great to be working with him again. Ever since that tour, which was really just a one-off live thing, he has been nudging me to start a real, original, full-time band. The timing just had never been right, because I had too many other things on my plate. Long story short, the time was finally right to take the bait and put together a band."

"Mike and I work at a relentless pace in the studio", continues Sherinian. "The music is modern, but we have an old school soul. What is unique about SONS OF APOLLO is that we have true rock n' roll swagger along with the virtuosity - a lethal combination!"

But what to call the next great supergroup? "Derek was mainly the one behind the name", says Portnoy. "I have a list that I keep on my phone of about a hundred different band names, which I constantly have to refer to every time I have a new band every year (laughs). So, I pulled up the list and Apollo was one of the names on the list. It was a word that both of us really liked. We started fiddling with different variations of the word. One of the original band names we were working with was Apollo Creed, the character from the 'Rocky' movies, but after lots of different discussions on different variations, Derek suggested SONS OF APOLLO and it seemed to stick. Apollo is the God of Music so with that in mind it seemed like a fitting name."

Mike Portnoy, Derek Sherinian, Billy Sheehan previously toured together in 2012 and 2013 as PSMS (along with guitarist Tony MacAlpine), playing all instrumental versions from each of their previously recorded music. SONS OF APOLLO is the next logical progression by adding a vocalist and creating all-original material. The band incorporates the progressive style and individual technical prowess that Portnoy & Sherinian shared together in Dream Theater combined with the swagger and groove of Van Halen, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin.

"I have known Mike and Derek for a long time, so when they came to me with Sons of Apollo, I jumped on this straight away", says Thomas Waber, Label Manager/A&R International of InsideOutMusic. "However, the album they ended up recording exceeded my already high expectations by a long mile! We couldn't be happier about it!"

SONS OF APOLLO will hit the road in 2018 for their first worldwide tour.

"This is a real band", Portnoy declares. "This is going to pick up for me and Billy where The Winery Dogs left off, in terms of this being the next logical full-time thing for us. I'm not saying The Winery Dogs have broken up, because we haven't, we're just on a break. SONS OF APOLLO is absolutely going to be a full-time band and we plan on touring all over the world all throughout 2018 and, honestly, it is the priority for all five of us."

Sherinian agrees, "We will go on a worldwide crusade in 2018 to bring SONS OF APOLLO to as many people as possible. Apollo was the God of Music, and we are his mighty offspring!"

On Thursday, ACCEPT celebrate the album's live premiere exclusively with a special show at Wacken Open Air, Germany. The set will consist of three parts and can be seen worldwide on a live stream from 20.00 - 22.00 CEST.

Part one will bring fans a classic ACCEPT set, packed with new and old hits. Part two will present another premiere: Wolf Hoffmann will be playing tracks from his solo album Headbangers Symphony for the very first time. On this record, Wolf has covered famous opuses by composers such as Beethoven, Vivaldi, Mozart, in a Metal guise. And in Part three, all elements can be seen and heard together: ACCEPT will make the holy Wacken ground shake by sharing the stage with the orchestra, supported by a complex multimedia show.

This unique concert experience will take place on this year's 'Night To Remember' which makes it even more special. The 'Night To Remember' is a celebrated, long-lasting Wacken tradition; for one night of the festival a selection of established bands will do something unique and special with their performance.

Wolf Hoffmann stated: "It's always impressive to see how bands take this evening seriously and how much love the artists and the organising team put into their work to get a varied result. It's a great tradition which underlines and documents the top-notch level of the international rock community like nothing else. We also want to present something that ACCEPT has never done before, we hope we can give something really special to the fans."

"ACCEPT have been and are still a very important part of Germany's Heavy Metal scene. We're really looking forward to having them with us once more. With this epic concept, the Thursday evening will be one to remember for sure," stated Thomas Jensen, organiser of Wacken Open Air.

German Metal band ALPHA TIGER release a new single and video for the song Comatose. The track is taken from their forthcoming studio album Alpha Tiger.

Guitar player Peter Langforth: "'is it just me or is the world completely out of mind?' In a time when smart-phones dominate everyday life, I'm afraid that this question is becoming more and more common. We approached this issue with a wink and asked ourselves, how people would have responded to it more than a hundred years ago. The song COMATOSE forms the musical bridge between our third record iDentity and the new album, and thus reflects the traditional side of the album. We wish you a lot of fun with the clip!"

Tourdates 2017:

30.09.D-Nürnberg – Der Cult

06.10.D-Bad Friedrichshall – Lemmy’s

15.10.D-Erfurt – From Hell

26.10.D-Mannheim – 7er Club

17.11.D-Marsberg – DiemelKult Festival

25.11.D-Bautzen – Steinhaus

02.12.D-Oldenburg – MTS Oldenburg

29.12.D-Annaberg-Buchholz – Alte Brauerei

30.12.D-Dormagen – Tank-Stelle

Nuclear Blast / PÄNZER to release new album 'Fatal Command' on October 6th

Get your denim and run for cover: they are rolling again! Two and a half years after their infamous wake-up call Send Them All To Hell, Heavy Metal saviours PÄNZER have returned to the scene. Fatal Command will be released on October 6th via Nuclear Blast, and the record stands for what all four members have in common - the love for pure fuckin' Heavy Metal.

"We pay tribute to our early days and the era of NWOBHM", comments Schmier. "The new songs are faster, heavier, catchy and even more melodic, without being commercial at all. We wanna keep the old and original Metal spirit alive."

Fatal Command lives and breathes Heavy Metal like a few other albums of recent years do. It is a monolith of a record on which the tempestuous music, the provocative artwork and Schmier's social-criticism come together under a metallic and indestructible hide, courtesy of Little Creek Studio in Basel, Switzerland. One thing, however, is setting Fatal Command apart from the perfect Heavy Metal record: "There's no ballad! But as the singer, I wanted to spare mankind", he laughs. Consequently, PÄNZER prefer to hit the throttle and concentrate on kicking as much ass as possible. Fatal Command proudly wears the insignia that so many current bands are lacking, a bold statement against wimps and posers. PÄNZER swear a solemn oath on Fatal Command: They will be true to Heavy Metal in good as well as in bad times, in sickness and in health. They will love it and honour it all the days of their lives until death does them part. Amen!

After the departure of Herman Frank (ACCEPT), PÄNZER recruited Pontus Norgren of HAMMERFALL to aid their warfare, as well as V.O. Pulver (G.U.R.D., POLTERGEIST) on guitar, who already helped out for their latest live shows and now became a fulltime member of PÄNZER. "After producing the debut with PANZER, the guys asked me to help them out live to provide the double axe-attack on stage", remembers V.O. Pulver. "Of course I took the chance to rock out with my buddies. And when the opportunity came up to join them permanently, I didn't hesitate to accept and now I can't wait to play the sound of my youth!" Also Pontus was just as excited to join the Heavy Metal war machine: "It was not a hard decision when I got asked to join PÄNZER, it was a straight YES! To be able to create music with good friends is the most important thing in my world and in this band, having fun when making music, is number one."

Nearly three years in the making, Black Metal legends SATYRICON have revealed their highly anticipated ninth studio album, Deep calleth upon Deep is set for release on 22nd September via Napalm Records. The opus will be available in digital format, CD digipak and gatefold vinyl options.

The band recently unveiled initial album details and the album's artwork, an obscure drawing from 1898 by perhaps the greatest Norwegian artist of all time, Edvard Munch.
Deep calleth upon Deep's tracklisting reads as follows:

IRONFLAME is a traditional Heavy/Power Metal entity born of multi-instrumentalist Andrew D'Cagna. Although the music of IRONFLAME finally came to life in late-2016, its growth into fruition had been decades in the making. Andrew grew up in the late-'80s/early-'90s listening to classic Metal acts like Iron Maiden, Savatage, Helloween, Judas Priest. He was also lucky enough to have been blessed with a singing voice that lent itself well to the genre. Despite Andrew's given ability, however, he rarely used it instead becoming influenced by more extreme realms of Metal and pursuing such musical interests for 15 years, playing various instruments in death and black Metal bands.

Andrew was then recruited by renowned guitarist Jim Dofka as vocalist for the band Dofka, where he honed his raw vocal talent and learned how to sing properly through 2010, performing on the Humanity Bleak album. Years later, upon the untimely death of a mutual friend, Dofka reunited for a one-night performance in October of 2016. These events stirred up many old feelings, and Andrew felt it was time to write an album of purely traditional Metal. Thus, IRONFLAME was born.

The end result is Lightning Strikes the Crown: a 40-minute tribute to the glory days of Heavy Metal. Free of pretension and arrogance, the music of IRONFLAME is catchy, familiar, and hook-laden—just good old fist-banging Metal that is as honest as it is memorable. All of the instruments and vocals were performed/recorded by Andrew himself, with the exception of a handful of local guitar buddies recruited for solos Jim Dofka among them.

"George and I couldn't be more excited about this album! We've worked very hard to bring you the best of both worlds - a throw back of the chart topping Stryper/Dokken days yet with a modern production that fits right in with anything out there now in the Rock world today. We couldn't be more proud than to be working with Brian Tichy and James LoMenzo again as they are the best rhythm section you'll ever hear. If you liked SWEET & LYNCH I, you're going to love Unified!" - Michael Sweet.
Track Listing:

Promised Land

Walk

Afterlife

Make Your Mark

Tried & True

Unified

Find Your Way

Heart Of Fire

Bridge Of Broken Lies

Better Man

Live To Die
Produced by Michael Sweet.

InsideOut Music / LEPROUS launch 'Stuck (Radio Edit)', the second single & video off new album 'Malina'

LEPROUS checked in to comment about the track, which can be found on the album in its entire version, as follows: "Stuck is LEPROUS in a new package! It's straight to the point, groovy and has probably the guitar and bass sound on the album that we're most happy with! Doing a performance video to enhance the special edit version of this song felt like an obvious choice and the footage captured by Troll Toftenes supports the dynamics of the music in a great way!"
The track-listing for Malina reads as follows:

Bonneville

Stuck

From The Flame

Captive

Illuminate

Leashes

Mirage

Malina

Coma

The Weight Of Disaster

The Last Milestone
Malina will be released as Jewelcase CD and Digital Download, but also as limited edition Mediabook CD (with extended booklet and the bonus-track Root) and as Gatefold 2LP on 180gr. vinyl (with a poster, the bonus-track Root and the entire album on CD).
The Gatefold 2LP format will be available in the following variations:

Following a hugely successful European tour as support to label-mates Devin Townsend Project earlier this year, LEPROUS wrapped up the work on Malina with producer David Castillo at Ghost Ward Studio in Sweden, while mixing duties were once again taken care of by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Sweden. The album's artwork was designed by Corey Meyers.

After their upcoming summer festival appearances, LEPROUS will be heading out on an extensive headlining tour of Europe for Malina, together with special guests Agent Fresco from Iceland, plus Australia's AlithiA and fellow Norwegians Astrosaur.

Here is a list next of shows for LEPROUS (Recent updates marked *):LEPROUS - Festivals 2017:

Heavy Metal pioneers ACCEPT are back in the game with a new studio album! The record entitled The Rise Of Chaos, will be unleashed on August 4th, 2017! This will be the band's 4th studio release through Nuclear Blast and continues the tradition of its three predecessors - Blood Of The Nations, Stalingrad, Blind Rage - with grandeur and precision.

Now ACCEPT reveal their first track-by-track trailer, in which Wolf Hoffmann talks about the songs Die By The Sword, Hole In The Head, The Rise Of Chaos.

Transcending Obscurity have launched an exclusive stream of the mind-bending, sanity-rending new album from Tele.S.Therion - Luzifers Abschied (Lucifer's Farewell). Created in collusion with some of the world's most renowned practitioners of jazz, free improvisation, avant-garde and contemporary classical music, this album explores the void between art and noise and uncovers the essence of evil within the darkness. Even those who have walked the deepest catacombs of Black Metal's kingdom of fire and shadows, searching out the harshest creations by the most intimidating of the face painted disciples of darkness, will find themselves undone in the face of Luzifers Abschied. Despite the manner in which Tele.S.Therion have eschewed traditional song structures and cast aside the customary weaponry of electric guitars, in favour of saxophones and waterphones, nothing has captured the sound of the abyss quite like this.

Now Transcending Obscurity, in association with Minotauro Records are offering you the chance to sample the dark delights of the abyss. You can experience something bewildering, terrifying and all consuming... Luzifers Abschied is like nothing you have experienced before... and nothing you will ever hear again.

Based upon the fourth act of Karlheinz Stockhausen's opera, Samstung aus Licht (Saturday from Light) – the second in a series of seven operas composed for the opera cycle Licht: die sieben Tage der Woche (Light: The Seven Days of the Week). Luzifers Abschied is the concluding part of Samstung aus Licht and a ceremony of exorcism; an exorcism of the ultimate figure of evil, Satan himself.

Midnight Sin brings back the sound of Street Rock with powerful and catchy songs, shocking lyrics, mind blowing choruses and a sexy attitude that brings back the energy and hedonism of what was called Hair Metal. The band released their debut album Sex First back in 2014, followed by the EP Never Say Never in 2016, and they are now ready to release their new album One Last Ride, which has been described as the perfect combination of 80's Sleaze Rock, modern Hard Rock and AOR. These 10 new tracks definitely leave a mark, being at the same time very energetic and sensual, catchy and loud: the perfect soundtrack for certain 'duties' which are usually performed at night...
One Last Ride tracklisting:

Italian label Punishment 18 Records has signed Greek Thrash Metal band The Crucifier for the release of their new third album. The recording sessions was held at Clepsydra Studio (Nightbreed, Chainsaw, Noise Disorder).

The first United Kingdom tour for the Italian Hard Rock band Starsick System is announced. The four musicians will play on stage all the songs from the new album Lies, Hopes & Other Stories in UK at the end of October, with five live shows that will touch cities like London, Whitchurch, Darwen, Newcastle and a last concert TBA.

THE PRIVATEER states: "After 2 years of creation and countless beers, today the time has finally come to release our new longplayer The Goldsteen Lay! 53 minutes of running time, split into 11 chapters full of madness and the mythical sea. A wicked coverartwork and 24 pages of booklet in a book like pattern round this beast up."

Are you ready for MASTERPLAN's upcoming release PumpKings? It's a special album for band leader Roland Grapow, including 11 songs he originally wrote and recorded with Helloween during his time with the band.

Mr. Ego was the lead single of Helloween's 1994 album Master Of The Rings, a critically acclaimed release which also saw vocalist Andi Deris debuting.

Coldspell are based in the north of Sweden and were formed in 2005 by guitarist and songwriter Michael Larsson. Since their first release ColdSpell have been one of the bands you like to mention when talking high class Scandi Hard Rock.

Coldspell blasted onto the scene in 2009 with their own brand of Hard Rock/Metal. They first took the world by storm with their Infinite Stargaze release, an album that created a stir in rock circles and the album received stunning reviews all over the world and was on several album 'top lists' for 2009 and album of the year at various magazine's and radio stations.

Two years later in 2011 a brand new release Out from the Cold was put out to an eager audience, once again mixed by Tommy Hansen in Denmark, Tommy of course having previously worked with Helloween, TNT, Pretty Maids, Jorn, Pagan's Mind.

In 2013 Coldspell put out a new recording entitled Frozen Paradise, once again with Tommy Hansen at the mixing desk. This was an unbelievable recording and the band have extended their expertise with razor sharp riffs, solid rhythms and great choruses.

With three albums released so far the wait is over. Coldspell are ready to strike again with the brand new album titled A New World Arise, release date: 22 September 2017. This is stunning recording that features 12 new songs of epic proportions and it's going to put ColdSpell firmly on the map. This is Scandinavian Melodic Rock of the highest order and will be a strong contender for the Hard Rock album of 2017.
Track list:

Frontiers Music Srl is known for being one of the most creative labels around with our keen ability to build new bands and projects featuring musicians of outstanding quality and who come from unique backgrounds. While the A&R vision has mostly been concentrated in the Melodic Rock genre, it should be noted, for those who haven't picked up on it from some of our releases in the past few years, that there is always a 'Metal Heart' beating in the head offices in Naples, Italy.

Two months ago, the German Thrash Metal legends TANKARD played the Eintracht Frankfurt club anthem 'Schwarz-weiß wie Schnee' in front of over 30.000 enthusiastic Frankfurt supporters, a short time before the kick-off of the German cup final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.

Now the band announces a new version of the EP Schwarz-Weiß wie Schnee (which has been completely sold out for over ten years). The EP will be released on CD and '7 Vinyl' on 15 September 2017 via Nuclear Blast.

The Eintracht anthem, which has been played in the stadium for ten years before every home game of Eintracht Frankfurt, has now been completely re-recorded by the band. The thrashers were supported by Henni Nachtsheim (Badesalz), Ande Werner (Mundstuhl), Roy Hammer (Roy Hammer & Die Pralinées), who can be heard in the backing choir.
The tracklist of the new EP:

ALMANAC - the new band of Victor Smolski (ex-RAGE) - stands for a new dimension of symphonic Power Metal, featuring three singers Jeannette Marchewka (LINGUA MORTIS ORCHESTRA), Andy B. Franck (BRAINSTORM), David Readman (PINK CREAM 69). In March 2016, ALMANAC unleashed their highly acclaimed debut album Tsar, which entered the official charts in both, Germany (#74) and Switzerland (#87), followed by a European tour along with ORDEN OGAN, as well as their own headliner tour in spring 2017.

Within the past few weeks, ALMANAC has completed the recordings of their second longplayer entitled Kingslayer, recorded at HeyDay Studios in Wuppertal, Germany. "Our second strike is done", reveals guitar player Victor Smolski and explains, that "Kingslayer is the logical follow-up to Tsar, just more compact, heavier and faster. Our previous live experiences could be perfectly permitted during the recordings. The band got closer and well attuned, you can feel this unified energy within the new tracks. We took a lot of time and gave our very best. Kingslayer is a crafted Metal album with a lively power sound!"

Kingslayer will be released on November 3rd via Nuclear Blast. The cover artwork was once again created by Hungarian artist Gyula Havancsák(ACCEPT, DESTRUCTION a.o.).

ALMANAC recently played at the 'Masters of Rock' festival, where they presented the first two new tracks live, Losing My Mind, Children Of The Sacred Path. The concert will be part of the bonus live DVD, which will come along the limited first edition of Kingslayer.

UK's legendary extreme Metal icons CRADLE OF FILTH have released the official making of the music video for the first single off their eagerly awaited 12th album, Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay. The album will be released on September 22 via Nuclear Blast and will be available in various formats/editions.

Satanic, The devil metaller worshippers have finally been answered... at last, for the first time ever, Architecture of Chaos. This album contains 8 murky, hasty, and of the most fervent Death Metal tunes recorded in the history of the genre. Death Metal from Canada, Quebec with lyrical themes: War, Satanism, Conspiracies.

Satanic is without a shadow of a doubt Architecture of Chaos's darkest, most sinister and brutal work to date, and in this case it comes to means that the band has gone from the utterly extreme to the genre-expanding and mind-boggling. Death Metal cannot, and will never be the same. the band's first full length debut release 2017 Architecture of Chaos decide to suck out the fiercest and most potent energies from every single member and surrounding, channelling it into songs that are pulsating with uncanny atmospheres, rawness and nerve shattering intensity.

The second single of the Heavy Metal band SKINFLINT from Botswana Chief Of The Ghosts was released. The release date of the SKINFLINT album Chief Of the Ghosts on CD was July 7th, 2017.

SKINFLINT from Botswana, a country that is not well known for traditional Metal or Rock in general, already can be considered to one of the old guards on the label. Very rightly, albums like Iklwa (2010) and Dipoko (2012) are small classics nowadays in the underground. A perfect combination between traditional Heavy/Epic Metal and decent African folk music.

The trio around Giuseppe 'Juice' Sbrana continues with their old tradition also on the fifth long player Chief Of The Ghosts. Rough and simple, yet with much sensitivity for the decent exotic touch, there are nine new songs, again partly sung in their native language Setswana.

Those who already love the predecessors won't be disappointed with Chief Of The Ghosts at all.

Heavy Metal pioneers ACCEPT are back in the game with a new studio album! The record entitled The Rise Of Chaos will be unleashed in only 1,5 weeks, on August 4th, 2017! This will be the band's 4th studio release through Nuclear Blast and continues the tradition of its three predecessors - Blood Of The Nations, Stalingrad, Blind Rage - with grandeur and precision.

Now ACCEPT announce the dates of their European tour, which will start on January 12th in Hamburg.

On September 1st, cult metallers PARADISE LOST abruptly end summer with the release of their 15th studio album Medusa. And in order to shorten the waiting time until their doomy onset of winter, the band now unveils the third trailer. In this video, singer Nick Holmes explains the writing process for his lyrics and why he would suggest Stephen King, the latest KREATOR and a trip to Yorkshire to all of his fans.

Multinational Hard Rock/Melodic Metal band EDEN'S CURSE will release Eden's Curse - Revisited - a re-recorded version of their 2007 debut album + Live In Glagow 2014 bonus DVD - on August 25th. Check out the new version of Fly Away!

All good things come in threes, so here is the 3rd song sample from the upcoming BLAZON STONE album Down int he Dark slated for September 5th release date. This is the slowest tune on the album, paying homage to the best pirate Heavy Metal band ever.

Italian label Punishment 18 Records will re-release the legendary underground Texas Thrash Metal band Devastation albums Idolatry and Signs of Life. Originally released by Combat Records/Under One Flag in 1991 and 1989 respectively, these studio efforts were out of print for a long time and highly sought after by collectors. Idolatry show an important step towards an aggressive Thrash Metal evolution thanks to the sound perceived at legendary Morrisound Studios, Tampa, Florida, between August and September 1990 as well.

Richmond Virginia's MUNICIPAL WASTE, released their highly anticipated sixth album, Slime And Punishment, one month ago. In celebration, the band delivers a new music video in the form of the most epic rager. Directed by Rob 'Whitey' McConnaughy, Breathe Grease is the epitome of all things you would expect from a MUNICIPAL WASTE party and then some.

The creativity and productivity of the German Heavy Metal trio RAGE seems to have no limits.>br />
Now they release their third track by track documentary, in which the trio talks about the last four songs of the new album, that form the quartet The Tragedy Of Man. If you want to know more about Gaia, Justify, Bloodshed In Paradise, Farewell, watch the clip.

The single Highway Demon is the titlesong and opener of Vanderberg's second album, which will be released on September 7, 2017. "The song Highway Demon is an energetic uptempo number, that brings the adrenaline to the boil in the blood of every listener. In particular, the second verse does not leave you an air to breathe. The perfect song for the highway", says Vanderberg about the Arena-Rock song. "The fact that Highway Demon has a classic Rock vibe is probably due to the fact, that the song was sleeping for about 25 years in the drawer of a friend of mine. Then we decided to breathe new life into the song by reworking the melodies, writing new lyrics and helping the song to live a new life", says Vanderberg.

Highway Demon is now available in all popular online stores and on all music platforms. The song will is published via darkSIGN Records. Thorsten Eligehausen, CEO of darkSIGN Records, is responsible for the mix and mastering.

After the 2015 release of the self-titled debut album by REVOLUTION SAINTS - Deen Castronovo (ex-Journey, Bad English), Doug Aldrich (The Dead Daisies, ex-Whitesnake, DIO), Jack Blades (Night Ranger, Damn Yankees) — Rock fans around the world rejoiced at the inspired musical offering. Those fans will, once again, have cause for celebration as REVOLUTION SAINTS will be releasing their second album later this year. Now the band has released a video for the title track to the new album.

LIGHT IN THE DARK is due out October 13th on Frontiers Music Srl. The album will be available on CD, CD/DVD Deluxe Edition (includes live bonus tracks on the CD and on the DVD, footage from the band's first-ever live performance captured at Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan this past April, a 'Making Of' mini-documentary, and music videos for Light In The Dark and I Wouldn’t Change A Thing), Vinyl, and as a special Limited Edition Box Set (includes the Deluxe Edition CD/DVD, 180g Vinyl, T-shirt (size L), poster, lithograph and sticker).

For LIGHT IN THE DARK, REVOLUTION SAINTS once again teamed up with producer/songwriter Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, JORN), who was also behind the boards for the band's debut album. Most of LIGHT IN THE DARK was recorded at Del Vecchio's studios in Somma Lombardo, Italy, with additional recording taking place at Blades' studio in Washington, Aldrich's CasaDala studio in Los Angeles, and other countries all over the world while Aldrich was on tour with The Dead Daisies.

"This is a fun band!" exclaims bassist Jack Blades. "I think the fans are going to pick up on the excitement and the shear musical enjoyment we are having. It was great going to Italy to get the album started and film the videos, and the music speaks for itself."

"Light In The Dark is such a great song", continues singer/drummer Deen Castronovo. "It was the first one we recorded. We ran through it a few times and nailed it in the first couple takes. We're so excited for everyone to hear this record. We're very happy with what we came up with and can't wait to bring it to everyone live."

As guitarist Doug Aldrich proclaims, "I'm very excited about REVOLUTION SAINTS' second record! First I want to say that it's because of huge support from the fans that RS2 happened. Thank you. If you liked #1, I think you'll love this one even more. It's stronger, and a bit heavier in some spots. We tried a few new things and we can't wait for our fans to hear it! There's a very good chance we'll finally get to play live and we're currently exploring the possibilities of a tour. For now, get ready, because the album kicks ass and it's comin' at you real soon!"

This time, with one album already under their belt, REVOLUTION SAINTS entered the studio to record the new album more familiar with one another and a clear understanding of where they wanted this to go. As with the first album, Castronovo's superb vocal talents are in the spotlight on this release and deservedly so. Pretty impressive for a man who is most widely known for his incredible drumming talents. Jack Blades really needs no introduction at this point, but for those who have been living under a rock, his bass and vocal talents are well documented over the years through his work with Night Ranger, Damn Yankees, Shaw/Blades, and more. And, of course, a major feature is the fiery and intense playing from former Whitesnake and DIO guitarist Doug Aldrich, whose blistering guitar fretwork is on full display here.

LIGHT IN THE DARK builds off the classic Melodic Rock style of the debut, but fans should prepare for a somehow even more inspired set and a few (pleasant) surprises. Inspiring, uplifting, emotionally powerful, and thoughtful, this album WILL be the soundtrack to many a moment in your life.

To all of the loyal REVOLUTION SAINTS fans, prepare to have your patience rewarded beyond your wildest dreams with this album! Understand this clearly, REVOLUTION SAINTS is HERE TO STAY!
Here's the complete track listing for LIGHT IN THE DARK:

Canada's hottest Metal import and Rock juggernauts KOBRA AND THE LOTUS released their brand new album Prevail I May 12nd on Napalm Records. Now the band fronted by charismatic vocalist Kobra Paige unleashes the official video for their song Light Me Up!

Says Kobra Paige: "Music is the universal language. Because of this quality, it has immense capacity to heal and bring people hope and strength. We are so much stronger than we know but at times our faith in ourselves can be tested. More specifically our sense of purpose can be tested. When we lose our purpose, we stop believing in ourselves, our desire to fight for this lifetime begins to fade. This song is extremely close to our hearts and holds an intention that we hope will translate into helping others to not give up on themselves. Everyone matters. Never forget this... no single person has it all figured out no matter how composed they appear. For the people that feel they have no one to turn to, I hope our songs find you in your deepest hour of need. May it lift you up just enough to remind you that somehow, in some way, we all fit into this picture we call life. Let's bring awareness to depression. Let's bring awareness to the fact that everyone has a story that we don't know. It's ok to not be ok sometimes."

Prevail I, the band's latest offering, is full of blistering guitars, pounding rhythms and haunting vocal melodies that take the listener on a sonic journey leading them out from the darkness and into the light. The album was produced by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Amaranthe, Epica etc), mastered by Grammy award winning Ted Jensen, and features the soon to be classic song Light Me Up that will undoubtedly usher the band to much deserved elevated hard rock status.

Evolution is inevitable and KOBRA AND THE LOTUS have delivered their most powerful album to date, Prevail I, with Prevail II to complete the story in the not too distant future...

Heavy Metal pioneers ACCEPT are back in the game with a new studio album! The record entitled The Rise Of Chaos, will be unleashed in only two weeks, on August 4th, 2017! This will be the band's 4th studio release through Nuclear Blast and continues the tradition of its three predecessors - Blood Of The Nations, Stalingrad, Blind Rage - with grandeur and precision.

Wolf states: "Koolaid is a well known flavored drink and has been mixed with Cyanid by a cult leader who made his congregation drink it: men, women & children. Everybody to get to heaven. Since then, the phrase 'drinking the Kool-Aid' is referring to a person or group holding an unquestioned belief, argument, or philosophy without critical examination. That common fact, that people believe everything, when sold right, has intrigued me all my life. For me, being critical and alert all the time, is the key to every decision one makes. That is the main message!"

"The Rise Of Chaos is something I have been thinking about often. Wherever we go - there is some hidden as well as some visible destruction and it kind of changes the world we know. What was there today - can be gone tomorrow and it's somehow irritating, because it happens on so many levels and no one knows what comes next. The cover portrays our last stage set-up - but now clearly 'destroyed' - like... after a catastrophe", explains Wolf Hoffmann.

Powerplay Rock & Metal Magazine have agreed to become sponsors of the event. Over the course of its 200 (so far!) issues, Powerplay has established itself as one of the UK's leading rock authorities, widely respected and with a large, loyal readership. Many of the bands performing at Fire & Forge 2017 have been featured in Powerplay which makes them the perfect sponsor for the festival.

The festival organizers have now released the final event poster, as illustrated below, with the completed line-up and showing the day splits. Blaze Bayley will be headlining on Friday October 6th with The Dirty Youth doing the honours on Saturday October 7th. Blaze's appearance at Fire & Forge will be the final, climactic date of his Endure And Survive World Tour, so the last chance to see a set list which combines classics from his past career with numbers from the new album. Blaze will also be doing a meet and greet session at the festival, so bring along your Blaze, Wolfsbane and Iron Maiden items for signing!

The rest of the talent packed line-up includes underground heroes like Divine Chaos, Eradikator, Fury, Lifer, Gehtika and a battalion of others. In total no fewer than thirty two top UK Rock and Metal acts will be gracing the stage of the Trowbridge Civic Centre – and all in the name of charity.

Fire And Forge began life in 2012 under the banner of Rock Diabetes, before being rebranded in 2015 and continues to give its support to the Junior Diabetes Research Foundation. The JDRF gives a voice to people with type 1 Diabetes and campaigns for increased focus on and funding for, research to find the cure.

There will also be a very special guest of honour at Fire & Forge 2017 – Steve Grimmett of Grim Reaper. Steve recently lost his leg due to diabetes related problems and has shown incredible bravery in recovery. He will be demonstrating his amazing courage once more by taking to the stage at Fire & Forge to perform a song with one of the bands.

So this October, support the British Rock and Metal scene, support underground music, support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and enjoy one of the best small festivals in the country.

Arthemis have released a video of the Led Zeppelin classic Whole Lotta Love as a tribute to one of the most influential bands in Rock’n’Roll. Video is shooting by Annalisa Russo and directed by .

This is how the band commented: "We play this amazing song on the road very often so we’ve decided to gather at Pri Studio (Bologna – Italy) and jam our killer version of Whole Lotta Love with a 100% full-Classic-Rock spirit, making this available for the whole Music world! Mixed and mastered at the mighty Rogue Studios (London – UK) by our kickass brother Alessio Garavello, crank it up and share this to the world if you like it! We love you all! Can you feel the Love?"

Italian thrashers Adversor announces that they are ready to hit the studio for their second full-length studio album. They are going to enter in on July 29th. The release will be handled later by Italian label Punishment 18 Records.

The creativity and productivity of the German Heavy Metal trio RAGE seems to have no limits. Only 14 months after the successful The Devil Strikes Again neckbreaker, RAGE deliver their new, 23rd studio album called Seasons Of The Black, which will be released on July 28th!

Seasons Of The Black was recorded in February/March 2017 at Megafon Studios (Burscheid, Germany) and at Soundchaser Studios (Zandhoven, Belgium). Its production was handled by RAGE, whilst the renowned Dan Swanö (MARDUK, OPETH, KATATONIA) took care of mix and mastering at Unisound Studios (Grefrath, Germany).

Frontiers Music Srl is pleased to announce the second studio release by Phantom 5, PLAY TO WIN! The album will be out on October 13, 2017! Check out the first song and video, The Change In You.

After the success of their self-titled debut album, the brainchild of producer/guitarist (and for this record, bassist) Michael Voss and vocalist Claus Lessmann have returned with yet another incredible outing of impeccable German Melodic Hard Rock! Once again joined by Robert Boebel on guitars and keyboards and Axel Kruse on drums, these fist pumping anthems will tickle the eardrums of any connoisseur of Melodic Hard Rock.

Michael Voss says, "to all the rockers out there, we are more than happy to continue this labour of love and come back with a bang! Again, guitar wizard Robby Boebel delivered powerful riffs and Claus wrote some magic melodies. The drums were delivered by heart-pounding visual timekeeper Axel Kruse and taped by the famous Rolf Munkes at Empire Studios. 11 well balanced songs, full of emotion and power, right in the vein of our first album. If you like the first one, you will love the new one! Come and get it... and play it loud... we play 2 win!!!"

Originally born as Supremacy, the band decided to change their name to Phantom 5 before recording their debut album for release last year. It had been a long time since the public had heard a Melodic Hard Rock record THIS GOOD coming from Germany! Mixing influences from the cream of the crop of German Melodic Hard Rock bands, but with Michael and Claus' unique stamp on it, the debut was met with rave reviews across the board.

earMusic / Deep Purple - 13 MIN LONGFORM VIDEO FOR 'JOHNNY’S BAND' REVEALED TODAY. PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL SINGLE TO BE RELEASED ON AUGUST 4

The brand new longform video for the song Johnny's Band by Rock legends DEEP PURPLE is being premiered. Following the four minute video clip for the song, the 13 minute longform serves as a fictional documentary about Johnny's Band. Its title From Here To By There is a clear reference to Deep Purple's movie documentary From Here To infinite which is part of the limited edition of the band's recent worldwide success inFinite.

The video (and song) is an in-depth, affectionate portrait of a fictional band that quickly gains success – and as quickly loses it. Having been scripted and directed by Craig Hooper and Collin Games who are also responsible for the original Deep Purple documentary, it gives a lot of attention to detail and doesn't take itself too seriously.

The members of Johnny's Band are casted with quite some familiar faces: in addition to S.E.X.'s Phil Jones, Sassafras' Dai Shell and Budgie's Steve Williams, the founding member and bass player of Saxon, Steve 'Dobby' Dawson, who is said to be the inspiration for the 'Spinal Tap' character Derek Smalls, is playing Old Bill the Bass. The young lead singer of Johnny's Band, Johnny Jones, is being played by singer-songwriter Steve Balsamo who among other things wrote and recorded together with the late Jon Lord.

The strictly limited collector's edition single for Johnny's Band is going to be released on August 4th on earMUSIC, both physically and digitally, and includes four previously unreleased songs, all exclusive to this EP.
Besides the In & Out Jam, recorded by Roger Glover during the rehearsals for the album recording of inFinite, the single is spiced with not only one but three live versions, all recorded on the successful NOW What?! world tour in Gaevle, Sweden on August 10th, 2013.
Track list

Italian bassist and composer Alberto Rigoni (solo, BADASS, Vivaldi Metal Project) unveils the artwork of his upcoming Prog/ambient solo album Duality which will be released on September 20th 2017.

The artwork has been designed by well known visual artist Reuben Bhattacharya of Visual Amnesia who has worked with several famous artists.

Reuben says: "I wanted to bring forth, a modernized approach to the stylings of classic Prog Rock album art on this release. The painting and the characters depict the theme of the album, which is the synergy and coexistence between Technology and Nature, Machine and Man, Good and Evil, Light and Dark, Dissonance and Harmony and the opposing forces that define human existence on planet Earth!"

Steelheart is the brainchild of Miljenko Matijevic whose powerful voice and multi-octave range is the heart and soul of the band. Now they have announced the release of their new album "Through Worlds Of Stardust set for September 15th via Frontiers Music Srl. Now also the first single from the album Got Me Runnin' has been released.

"I cannot express how excited I am for you all to hear this new album. Our focus was to bring back the magic in the music with songs that have been lived, loved, laughed and struggled. I best describe this album as 'DEEP, SEXY, LOVING, TWISTED, ROMANTIC, and HUNGRY ROCK'N ROLL'. The record was recorded throughout parts of the world including a live string section recorded in Stockholm Sweden. I truly hope you enjoy this album as it was created from the heart and no corners were cut. Love you all; we look forward to seeing you on the road," enthuses Miljenko.

Although they were lumped in with the glut of long-haired Hard Rock bands emerging in the early '90s, the band was always more forward thinking than their peers and the 2017 version of the band has a contemporary and edgy feel, while still retaining the patented powerful vocals of Miljenko. On Through Worlds Of Stardust, Miljenko has fused his past, present, and future together, creating an undeniable piece of hard rock music. Certainly fans of the band's first three classic albums will be happy to hear those powerful pipes back in action, but fans of modern Hard Rock acts like Halestorm, Shinedown, Alter Bridge, and other melodic minded Rock heavyweights will find much here to love.

Now the band once compared to Led Zeppelin by respected Metal outlet Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, is back with a sonic tour de force befitting of their stature. Don't be foolish and dismiss this as just another 'band from the '80s' as you will miss out on one of the most surprisingly robust and balanced hard rock albums of 2017! Highly recommended for fans of Hard Rock from then and NOW!
Through Worlds Of Stardust Track Listing:

Six weeks prior to releasing the upcoming album Vagabond Israeli/Norwegian prog-rockers Subterranean Masquerade release the lyric-video for the 1st single of the album. The song, chosen as the video-appetizer for the album, is Nomad, which is the 2nd track of the upcoming opus.

Tomer Pink (guitars) comments: "Nomad is one of the earliest tracks written for Vagabond. It's heavy, progressive, mixing all the elements from which this album is made of and kicks ass live ;) The lyrics tell the story of visiting a far away place, trying to run away from inside demons until eventually facing them."

The lyric-video was created with the talent of the gifted Rafael Ortega, who has perfectly captured the feelings of the song, in the visual art.

Signed to the Swedish label Vicisolum Records (Persefone, Loch Vostok, a.o.) for a 2-album deal, Vagabond is set for release on September 1st.

On August 25th, Swedish Heavy metallers Portrait will release their new full-length, Burn The World, worldwide via Metal Blade Records! For a preview of Burn The World, the second singleMartyrs is available.

Portrait comments: "Burn the World is our fiercest one to-date, holding all aspects of Portrait within it, yet in an even more dynamic, empowered and elevated form than its predecessors. Expect nothing else than sheer heavy metal rage dedicated to all forces that seek to end this world through their fires of adversity."

Burn The World contains guest appearances by Set Teitan (Dissection) and Kevin Bower (Hell).
Burn The World track-listing:

Heavy Metal pioneers ACCEPT are back in the game with a new studio album! The record entitled The Rise Of Chaos, will be unleashed on August 4th, 2017. This will be the band's 4th studio release through Nuclear Blast and continues the tradition of its three predecessors - Blood Of The Nations, Stalingrad, Blind Rage - with grandeur and precision.

Now the band releases their third album trailer in which Wolf Hoffmann explains the album title and why it fits so perfectly in today's world. If you want to find out about the connection between the new ACCEPT album and the rise of chaos in our world, watch the clip.

Wolf states: "The more you look at the news nowadays, the more the album title fits because times get pretty chaotic these days. Things seem to be getting more and more extreme. Violence and terror will often result in even more violence. Stephen Hawking or somebody once said that in a hundred years from now, there won't be any more people on this planet. We will be all extinct one day because we might have killed ourselves. Who knows? But it's certainly an interesting thought..."

"The Rise Of Chaos is something I have been thinking about often. Wherever we go - there is some hidden as well as some visible destruction and it kind of changes the world we know. What was there today - can be gone tomorrow and it's somehow irritating, because it happens on so many levels and no one knows what comes next. The cover portrays our last stage set-up - but now clearly 'destroyed' - like... after a catastrophe", explains Wolf Hoffmann.

This new album Ghostlights - A matter of belief from The Rockford Heroes have already received really high grades, e.g. 9/10 by Argentinan ezine Rock & Prog and 6/7 by Swedish ezine Hallowed.se.

Describing this pretty diverse music isn't easy, but Metalkaoz.com actually managed to nail most of the most important influences in their review of the previous album Edge of the silverthorn: "They have this pomp-ness but not over-progressed style in their music that may remind you of enough of the works of QUEEN, STYX and KANSAS. When they sharpen things up they tend to sound erotic and emotional like WHITESNAKE or FOREIGNER or even SKID ROW. When power takes over, there's a clear SAVATAGE sperm with the atmosphere being supreme and haunting."

This new album, Ghostlights - A matter of belief is a concept album about a man who is trapped in a cage of fears and folklore of today. But after a long and winding road with love found and lost, failed attempts confirmation and unhealthy obsessions, a new view of life finally appear. And yes, there are certainly a lot of things to be scared of in the world today, but very different from his earlier beliefs.

International Melodic Metal band TRAGUL released their second single The Message from the upcoming debut album. The mix was done by Aldo Benegas at Blind Owl studios and mastered by Mika Jussila from Finnvox Studios.

TRAGUL was formed at the end of 2016 by Adrian Benegas, keyboardist and composer of the band Pergana. It features the participation and contribution of reknown Metal stars such as Zuberoa Aznarez (Diabulus in Musica), Steve Conley (Flotsam and Jetsam), Oliver Holzwarth (ex Blind Guardian, Tarja) and Alex Holzwarth (ex Rhapsody of Fire).

Meat Train have signed a new deal with Contagion Records! Contagion have long been admirers of Meat Train, seeing them as the perfect Death Metal bulldozer to spearhead an exciting new era for the label.

A new album of gut-wrenching savagery has already been recorded, full of tales of nefarious murder and dark deeds from the other side of madness. Entitled Random Acts Of Carnage, this merciless vessel of atrocities will step from the shadows on September 29th... straight into your nightmares.

The band have recently played dates in Germany and Austria with Fleshcrawl, but they are already hungry for blood once again, so expect to hear the sound of the Meat Train thundering remorselessly through the night again soon. On its way to your town.

SEPTICFLESH are releasing a lyric video for the second new song taken from their forthcoming tenth full-length Codex Omega, which has been scheduled for release on September 1st. The Greek masters of symphonic Death Metal are exclusively premiering 3rd Testament via the official premiere partners.

Metal Obsession (AU)

Marast Music (CZ)

Metal.de (DE)

Diablorock (ES)

Kaaoszine (FI)

Thrashocore (FR)

Rocking (GR)

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Terrorizer (UK)

SEPTICFLESH comment on 3rd Testament: "As the release date of our new album is getting closer, it is only appropriate to introduce you to the song that revolves around the main theme, 3rd Testament (Codex Omega). So, behold the anti-bible. Listen to the sutras of the 3rd and final book in the divine drama series..."

25 years of EDGUY - a silver anniversary that demands celebration! This is why this autumn, Tobias Sammet and his band members will present their greatest hits on the 'The Best Of The Best' tour. As a prelude to this, the band recently released the double CD/DVD package Monuments!

Now EDGUY unveil a new live clip of the song Out Of Control, which is also part of the bonus DVD of Monuments. It was shot during the 'Hellfire Club' tour at the Sao Paolo show in 2004.

Frontman Tobias Sammet states: "Whilst collecting all of this picture material together we were once again made aware of how proud we are of what we have created. There are probably not many musicians who are lucky enough to be able to look back on a 25-year-old band history at the end of their thirties. And especially without any line-up changes in the last 20 years! This is even more incredible considering that we're not from Birmingham, New York or a German metropolis but from a small town called Fulda, a place where you normally only know about the insights of the music business by hearsay. I mean, as kids we started to play Edguy shows even before we had visited concerts as fans ourselves! Then we started to play shows outside our home town, then outside Germany and all of a sudden we found ourselves touring in Asia, America and Australia on a regular basis, because apparently there were people who liked our music. And they became more and more. For us, this always felt quite normal, the next step was all that mattered. We didn't think about what happened while things were happening...
But if you look back now, you will realise how lucky we were! It's now time to celebrate our anniversary with our fans. We'll celebrate our quarter century with the release of Monuments and LIVE in some selected cities! We'll perform a best-of set list, a journey throughout our past, with a lot of fuss and at full throttle! The first quarter century is over and we want to honour these years with our fans! To the next 25 years!"

On Sunday, July 23rd the US based band Tengger Cavalry, who combine traditional Mongolian music with Metal to create Nomadic Folk Metal, will be making a stop at the Underworld, Camden as part of their European tour. Completing the bill will be two of Imperative PR's finest – Black Metal beasts Formicarius and prophets of a dystopian future, the sonic renegades of Maxdmyz.

This exclusive show will be Formicarius' official launch gig for their Schwarzdorn Production debut album, Black Mass Ritual, which will be released two days earlier. This will be Formicarius' first London show since they played with Hate, Noctem, Isarnos at the Boston Music Room at the end of 2016.

Preceding Formicarius onto the hallowed stage of the Underworld will be Maxdmyz, who are currently riding on a wave of acclaim for their Alchemical Metal EP. This Sunday you'll have the perfect opportunity to do just that as the band return to a London stage for the first time since their stunning performance at the Renaissance Alternative Music Festival.

Furia Music Press / Shadowside releases music video produced by director of photography of 'The Martian' and 'Criminal Minds'

Brazilian Metal band Shadowside, featuring Swedish bass player Magnus Rosén (ex-Hammerfall), released a video for the song ALIVE, first single of the new album SHADES OF HUMANITY, which was recorded and produced in Sweden by Fredrik Nordström (Arch Enemy, Hammerfall, Evergrey) and Henrik Udd (Architects, Arch Enemy, Dream Evil).

The music video for ALIVE was produced and shot at Adrenaline Studios in Orlando, USA, by director of photography Daniel Stilling, known for his works in 'The Martian' film and 'Criminal Minds' series.

ALIVE is not only a music video, it is a short film that features the power of resilience represented by the four elements of nature, where the band members Dani Nolden (Air), Magnus Rosén (Earth), Raphael Mattos (fire) and Fabio Buitvidas (water) experience situations of life and death, at the edge of impending disasters. Will they be able to fight for their lives?

Shades of Humanity explores deep subjects such as depression, abortion, the Mariana Dam disaster in Brazil and mankind's moral values, branching out in musical ways nobody expected while still keeping their heavy guitar riffs and catchy melodies.

The release of Shades of Humanity will be on July 26 in Japan, via Spiritual Beast, July 28 in North America/Europe via EMP Label Group (the US-based label of Megadeth bass player Dave Ellefson) and September 4 in Brazil via Furia Music Records.

Another new song taken from MASTERPLAN's upcoming release PumpKings is available now: Check out Escalation 666, a song originally written by Roland Grapow and released on Helloween's The Dark Ride album (2000) - now re-recorded by the current MASTERPLAN line-up.

ARCH ENEMY have risen once again and are ready to accelerate at full force as they unleash the masterful new single, The World Is Yours, taken from their forthcoming album, Will To Power, due out on September 8 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS worldwide.

Mastermind Michael Amott comments, "We've been hard at work on the new album for a while now and we're proud to present the first taste of new Arch Enemy music in over three years with our new single and video, The World Is Yours! This was the first song I wrote for the upcoming Will To Power album and Daniel (Erlandsson, drums) helped me arrange and finish it up. One of many songs we co-wrote and co-produced this time around. We had a blast recording together with the full band in the south of Sweden and then mixing with Jens Bogren, who did a superb mix and mastering - in my opinion even surpassing the epic sound on our previous record, War Eternal. People that have heard this song in particular are saying it's got the classic anthemic Arch Enemy vibe going on, and I think they might be right about that... Looking forward to playing it live on stage later this summer!"

Comments vocalist/guitarist Mike Scalzi: "We are happy to announce that we are back with Cruz Del Sur Music and will begin recording a new album in July! We believe that a smaller 'boutique' label such as Cruz Del Sur is appropriate for our sound, fanbase and work ethic, and look forward to working with Enrico Leccese and company again."

"I am extremely excited to have SLOUGH FEG back on Cruz Del Sur!" says Leccese. "It is always nice when bands you like track you down. It's even more special when it's someone you've worked with for about ten years and established a friendly relationship. It's a recognition that we were doing something right in the past. I can't wait to hear the new album and share it with the Metal world."

Continues Scalzi: "The new album will be called The New Organon, and the songs are somewhat of a return to the heavier side of our sound: more rustic, heavy, churning, medieval/Celtic and proggy sounding riffs, as opposed to the more '70s rock sounds of more recent albums. But don't worry: there will be a couple of rockers as well! We will also have some newer, experimental songwriting styles, mixing Heavy Rock and Metal with the melodic sounds of '50s and '60s pop. Imagine DEL SHANNON singing for BLUE CHEER! After all, it wouldn't be a SLOUGH FEG album without some bizarre surprises!"

"So, journey we more into the vaults of the Voi-vaudevillian... the Epic-cure for all Epicurean Angst and Ennui. The Celtic cacophony continues!"

The creativity and productivity of the German Heavy Metal trio RAGE seems to have no limits. Only 14 months after the successful The Devil Strikes Again neckbreaker, RAGE deliver their new, 23rd studio album called Seasons Of The Black, which will be released on July 28th!

Now they release their first track by track documentary, in which the trio talks about the first four songs of the new album. If you want to get more info about Seasons Of The Black, Serpents In Disguise, Blackened Karma, Time Will Tell, watch the clip.

Anubis Gate's seventh album Covered in Black will be released to the world on Nightmare Records on September 1st.

With six highly acclaimed albums, what can be said about a seventh album? It would be easy to say the following: "It is our most mature album. Or how about this: We built on everything that came before it and added new twists and turns. Or this is our most accessible album perhaps."

But that wouldn't be quite true. In fact it might even be quite untrue. Except for the part about building on past experiences, since everybody does that.

What would have been mature was to make an album resembling the previous album Horizons, going with the beautiful feel-good vibe of that album (though its topics were not all that feel-good).

Instead, the writing of this album simply did not go in that direction. While Covered In Black is a highly melodic affair, it is also challenging in a way none of the previous albums are. Dealing with, and dedicated to, people in dark places, this albums has a darker and more complex edge to it. Allowing themselves to dig deeper into their collective pool of musical experiences and knowledge, the inspirations come from far across the spectrum. Ranging from classical chamber music, seventies Prog and extending to Thrash, with very eastern influences popping up, this is an album that is best heard as one piece, even if the individual tracks can stand on their own. Since they've come this far they also allowed themselves that freedom.

Is it a concept album? No. But it is a theme album. About people in dark places. From psychopaths, assassins to the more modern topics of being at the receiving end of what is bad about social media. Topics of lifelong failure and revenge are touched upon. The ten-song-long album has two suites, both consisting of three songs. One has the songs spread here and there on the album, while the other is connected as one long piece if you wish to listen to it that way. Wonderfully old-fashioned and just the way they like it. And it is, they feel, simply the best album they've ever done.

The album is produced by Kim Olesen and Jacob Hansen as per good tradition.

With the release date of Formicarius' Black Mass Ritual debut album set for the 21st of July, the band and their label, Schwarzdorn Production, have arranged for an unholy trinity of exclusives to be unleashed now!

Terrorizer Magazine are now streaming the whole of Black Mass Ritual in its entirety so you'll be able to hear just what delights await you on release day.
Black Mass Ritual track Listing:

Lake Of The Dead

Overlord

May The Rats Eat Your Eyes

Under Darkness

Where The Gods Go To Die

Abhorrent Feast Of Minds

A Requiem For The Bloodborn

Master Of Past And Present
Formicarius have not been idle whilst waiting for release day to arrive; they have been filming a stunning new video clip for the monstrous track, May The Rats Eat Your Eyes. Filmed at The Natural Light Spaces in Northampton, England by Arrow Photography London and featuring model Natasha J Bella, this is a powerful and harrowing film featuring a mixture of macabre narrative and imperious band performance. The video is unveiled for the first time today, streaming with two of the biggest names in metal media – Germany's Legacy Magazine and the UK's Zero Tolerance.

British Progressive icons THRESHOLD have announced their new album Legends Of The Shires will be released via Nuclear Blast on 8th September.

Now the band unveiled the first single from the release, the ultra-prog epic Lost In Translation which has a song length of over ten minutes!

Commented THRESHOLD's Richard West: "We've made a monster of an album so we thought we should release a monster of a single! This epic really showcases the many sides of our sound and is a great prelude to our album release."

Legends Of The Shires will be the band's eleventh studio album and their first ever double album; it also features Glynn Morgan back on vocal duties for the first time since 1996.

Check out the ethereal album artwork above by Russian artist Elena Dudina. Speaking about the artwork Richard West commented: "I love it when a cover tells you what sort of record you're buying. This one really shouts 'progressive' and reminds me of some of the classic Prog albums from the 20th century."
Tracklist for Legends Of The Shires:
CD 1:

Nearly three years in the making, SATYRICON have announced that Deep calleth upon Deep, their highly anticipated ninth studio album, is set for release on 22nd September via Napalm Records.

Recorded in Oslo, Norway and Vancouver, Canada, during early 2017 and mixed together with revered studio guru Mike Fraser (who previously worked on SATYRICON's 2006 album, Now, Diabolical), Deep calleth upon Deep is not just a new collection of songs from one of extreme music's most enduring and reliable bands: this is a wholesale reinvention and a brand new era in SATYRICON history.

Frontman and visionary, Satyr informs us "Approaching this release, what I always kept in mind is that either this is the beginning of something new or it's gonna be my last record. If this is going to be the last, then it needs to be something special. If there are more records, then I'd better make sure that this is so different from the last one that it feels like a new beginning. I think it's really, really dark, very spiritual and filled with confidence and energy."

Deep calleth upon Deep is a profound statement about the essence of SATYRICON's music and the eternal value of art itself. Satyr continues, "The way that I see it is that for any art, be it SATYRICON or any other form of art with substance, in order for you to be able to inhale and completely understand it, it will take a little bit of you as well. If you get it all after a couple of listens, you know that it probably won't stay with you. So the title is saying, 'From the depth of the people making this record to the depth of the listener...'. If you want to take part in this journey, you should be prepared to dig deep down in the darkest corner of your soul with us."

SATYRICON is also proud to share the album's front cover - an obscure drawing from 1898 by perhaps the greatest Norwegian artist of all time, Edvard Munch.

SATYRICON have always excelled as a live band, their evocative performances increasingly becoming special events as their frequency is dialled back to accommodate the Oslo band's new 'modus operandi'. The band are set to play a European run of dates in support of Deep calleth upon Deep:

During the late-'80s, legendary U.K. Punk band The Varukers underwent an unexpected transformation as its ranks gradually split off into two separate metal-oriented acts. One such group—inspired by the excitement and energy of albums such as Metallica's Kill 'Em All in contrast to what was perceived as a stale and apathetic punk scene at the time—ARBITRATER, led by Varukers frontman Anthony 'Rat' Martin, would proceed to self-release two full-length albums of taught, crunchy, and subtly melodic underground thrash: 1991's Balance of Power, and 1993's Darkened Reality.

Despite the strength of the recordings and performing handfuls of shows alongside fellow U.K. Thrash lords Xentrix and Slammer, among others, ARBITRATER ran its course before securing the wider exposure that a proper record label may have offered. As a result, out of print for many years, both albums have become extremely sought-after collectibles—so much so that Rat himself was forced to pay £93 for a single copy of Balance of Power for use as source material for this very collection; and Darkened Reality has been documented to have once sold for over $600!

So now, more than two decades later, Divebomb Records is proud to represent ARBITRATER via this massive double-disc set, featuring both Balance of Power (appearing for the first time ever on CD) and Darkened Reality, as well as The Conquest demo from 1988—all fully remastered and restored by Jamie King at The Basement Recording. In addition, the packaging includes an insightful new interview with ARBITRATER main man Anthony 'Rat' Martin, conducted by renowned musician and author Ian Glasper.

TEMPORARY INSANITY formed in Boston, MA during the mid-'80s, initially bashing out cover tunes by such acts as Rush, Iron Maiden, Metallica, and so forth. The band's core lineup had been established by 1987, as founding members Michael Lucantonio (guitar) and Randy Odierno (drums) were joined by bassist Steve Cloutman and—standing 6' 9"—towering frontman Glen Rice to begin composing their own original, thrash-leaning material.

This lineup put together a crude four-track demo before landing a spec deal with producer Chris Johnson — a relationship which led to the release of TEMPORARY INSANITY's only official cassette, the mighty T.I.D.C., in 1989. Boasting such devastatingly mosh-inducing fan favorites as D.S.H. and Arrogant Fuck, T.I.D.C. perhaps should have catapulted the group toward the eventual success of such legendary thrash anthems as The Toxic Waltz or Hello From the Gutter with its potent brand of Thrash Metal that was as violent as it was fun.

With new second guitarist Jeff Kody in tow, TEMPORARY INSANITY would go on to record a whopping 13 more tracks with Johnson at the helm—from the whirlwind slams of Toxic Spawn to the technical fury of later cuts such as Necrotech. Having opened for Flotsam and Jetsam, Wargasm, Meliah Rage, White Zombie, and many more, the band caught the attention of Maze Records through the help of their friends in Biohazard. Alas, a proper record deal never came to pass, and another of Boston's great many high-level Metal prospects folded in 1991—the bulk of their recordings unreleased and painfully obscure for decades to come.

So now, more than 25 years later, Divebomb Records is excited to present Final Walk: the long overdue 18-song discography from TEMPORARY INSANITY. Fully remastered by Jamie King at The Basement Recording, Final Walk also includes a massive 24-page booklet packed with lyrics, photos, memorabilia, and a retrospective interview with guitarist Michael Lucantonio - all wrapped up in stunning new artwork by longtime TEMPORARY INSANITY fanatic Brian Vocal Terror (Ladybug Smashers, Watchmaker, Annihilust).

TRIPHAMMER was formed in Brockton, MA in 1990 by members having served time in Bad Karma, Poseidon, RumbleStiltskin. The group quickly struck up a close friendship with fellow local metalheads Wargasm, whose guitarist Rich Spillberg helped engineer their debut demo, It's About Time, in late-1991. Such powerfully epic and catchy yet thrash-rooted songwriting was just as capable of appealing to fans of Queensrÿche as it was to those of Pantera, and subsequently found TRIPHAMMER opening for everyone from Savatage and Overkill to Biohazard and Mucky Pup.

A second four-song demo followed in 1994, subtly hinting at influences borrowed from the era's grunge-tinged sounds of Alice in Chains and Soundgarden, but remaining true to the band's melodic Thrash roots. However, utilizing a new rhythm section that included former Wargasm drummer Barry Spillberg, TRIPHAMMER would reinvent itself in 1995, tracking one final demo centered around shorter, more in your face material designed to incite a response from live audiences.

Somehow, despite a wealth of potential—and interest from Noise Records, among others — TRIPHAMMER failed to secure a recording contract. By 1996, frontman John Falzone was out, guitarist Dan Dykes had taken over the vocals, and the group was soldiering on under a new name: Every Second. TRIPHAMMER would later go on to self-release their first two demos on CD in 2003, performing sporadic reunion shows ever since; but a proper, complete discography never saw the light...

Until now, as more than two decades after the fact, Divebomb Records is proud to present Years in the Making: 1992 - 1995. This definitive 13-song collection includes all three TRIPHAMMER demos, plus a bonus live track recorded during their 2003 reunion. Remastered by Jamie King at The Basement Recording, the disc is housed alongside an extensive 24-page booklet loaded with photos, flyers, press clippings, lyrics, and a retrospective interview with the band.

Indianapolis classic Metal renegades SACRED LEATHER have released the video for Ultimate Force (Live Leather), which is the title track from the band's forthcoming self-titled debut album. The LP is set for a February 2018 release via Cruz Del Sur Music.

Filmed and edited by Parasol Photographics, Ultimate Force (Live Leather) was shot in Indianapolis during the first of two opening sets for NWOBHM legends DIAMOND HEAD and former MANOWAR guitarist ROSS THE BOSS. The video was directed and produced by Magnus Legrand.

Comments vocalist Wrathchild: "The title track serves as the first passage of the record Ultimate Force, which chronicles the rise of the Legion of Leather. Led by the Lost Destructor, the Legion congregate in order to harness the Ultimate Force to reign in dominancy, set to the backdrop of an apocalyptic climate."

SACRED LEATHER was created out of necessity, summoning the spirit of Heavy Metal forefathers in an age mired in apostasies. With influences evident to any Heavy Metal purist, SACRED LEATHER's music seems to emerge directly from the early '80s, mixing elegant and nostalgic Hard Rock/proto Metal with the most belligerent side of NWOBHM.

Exceptional has been released as the third single from Unisonic's upcoming live album Live In Wacken. The album recorded at the 2016 Wacken Open Air will be released on July 21st via earMUSIC. The live performance of Exceptional can now be watched on WackenTV.

L.A. Guns to release The Missing Peace on October 13th via Frontiers Music Srl! Watch the first video & single Speed.

As the revival of the classic ‘80s Hard Rock and Heavy Metal scene continues unabated here in the 21st century, one reunion has been at the top of the wishlists of many a fan for a long time: the songwriting combination of Tracii Guns and Philip Lewis under the L.A. Guns banner. What once seemed like a distant memory with no hope of returning has now come around and fans are about to be rewarded for keeping their fingers crossed and their hopes up. That's right Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis are back together as L.A. Guns! Their new album The Missing Peace is set for release on October 13th via Frontiers Music Srl.
The Missing Peace Track Listing:

Heavy Metal pioneers ACCEPT are back in the game with a new studio album! The record entitled The Rise Of Chaos, will be unleashed on August 4th, 2017. The band's 4th studio release through Nuclear Blast will continue the tradition of its three predecessors - Blood Of The Nations, Stalingrad, Blind Rage - with grandeur and precision.

Now the band releases their second album trailer in which Wolf Hoffmann unveils more details about the album including info on the recordings, the sound and processes that went into those aspects of making their new record.

On the 28th of July, Shadowflag will be performing at the Carpathian Alliance festival in the Ukraine. They will join the likes of Shining, Aura Noir, Horna, Hate as part of one of the blackest of metal bills ever assembled.

Nearer to home, but no less exciting, Forged In Black will be launching their new EP with a show at the Camden Underworld, in London, on September 2nd, appearing as special guests to Canadian Hard rockers, Diemonds. This will be Diemonds' first trip to Europe and their link up with Forged In Black is a mouth-watering prospect for all true Metal fans.

Finally (for now), Imperative PR are giving you advance warning that Death/Doom heavyweights The Drowning will be joining Death Metal legends Master for a show at the Fuel Rock Club in Cardiff on October 25th. Also appearing will be Sodomized Cadaver, Dehuman, Absolution, Democratus.

Israeli/Norwegian Prog-rockers Subterranean Masquerade reveals the front cover for their upcoming masterpiece of an album, named Vagabond.

Signed to the Swedish label Vicisolum Records (Persefone, Loch Vostok, a.o.) for a 2-album deal, Vagabond is set for release on September 1st, and the artwork for the album is just as psychedelic and trend-setting, as the amazing music is.

The artwork for Vagabond was created by local artist Ben Danzig and the rest of the booklet has been put together by none other than Travis Smith, widely known for his contribution to the Metal-world of art.

Subterranean Masquerade features members of Orphaned Land and Green Carnation, and is one of the most exciting ethnic-influenced Prog-artists to emerge from the underground layer these days. It's Prog-Rock, but it's also psychedelic 70'ies Metal. It's 'Jesus Christ Superstar' but it's also Israeli folklore and traditional Heavy Metal - all wrought through the grinder and delivered perfectly by a bunch of very talented musicians.

The album was mixed by Christer Andre Cederberg (Anathema, Tristania, etc.) and mastered by Tony Lindgren @ Fascination Street Studios.
Tracklist for Vagabond:

Place For Fairytales

Nomad

Waves

Carousal

Kippur

Daled Bavos

As You Are

Hymn Of The Vagabond

Space Oddity (David Bowie tribute)
The band is expected to tour extensively, in support of the album.

Legendary Swedish Progressive rockers Kaipa, led by mastermind Hans Lundin, have announced the release of their new studio album Children of the Sounds for 22nd September 2017. The band's 13th album, and 8th since the act were reborn in 2002, this album features the line-up of Lundin, accompanied by Per Nilsson (Scar Symmetry), Morgan Ågren (Karmakanic), Jonas Reingold (The Flower Kings, Karmakanic), Patrik Lundström (Ritual) & Aleena Gibson, plus a guest appearance from violinist Elin Rubinsztein.

Hans comments: "In November 2014 when I was still filled with all the energy I had captured during the summer I started to write the new songs. What really made me push the start button this time was a magic spirit that filled my whole body after visiting a concert with Morgan Ågren and his band Mats & Morgan Band. I woke up the morning after the concert and still felt that enormous groove filling every part of my consciousness. I realized that I had to canalize all this energy somewhere so I decided to start to write some new music. I had also found a lot of inspiration from the long bicycle rides that I made during the summer in the open land-scape around Uppsala. It was like if the notes were rising up from the billowing fields I passed and the words were falling like raindrops from the clear sky. So now I suddenly had found the key to open up all these ideas that had been slumbering at the back of my mind for a while. All the beauty and the wondrous inspiration from nature in combination with this 'enormous groove' made me create five long songs during the next months."
The track-listing for the album is as follows:

Children of the Sounds 11:31

On The Edge of New Horizons 17:10

Like A Serpentine 12:52

The Shadowy Sunlight 6:57

What's Behind The Fields 9:31
The result is as colourful musically and lyrically as Kaipa devotees will expect from the band's rich discography dating back to the debut opus released in 1975. Formed in 1973, Kaipa never shied away from experimentation, embracing fresh elements and sounds manifesting especially on the albums released in the 2000's. Children Of The Sounds is no exception, the album burns with creative fervour and spirit most vividly displayed on the title track, the 17 minutes long On The Edge Of New Horizons or closing track What's Behind The Fields. It embodies a powerful, positive energy and artistic brilliance that is irresistible and true to the genre's very essence.

Ukrainian fantasy/symphonic Metal band Kortofertos has inked a worldwide management deal with GlobMetal Promotions. Last year the band released their new album The Frozen Book. The album was recorded/mixed and mastered at Sershen Music Studio by Sergey Sershen.

Kortofertos was formed as one-man project in 2015 at Kyyiv, Ukraine by Alexander Shvets. His idea was to combine fantasy in three aspects: metal, story line and art. For this moment the band released 3 albums and 2
singles.

25 years of EDGUY - a silver anniversary that demands celebration! This is why this autumn, Tobias Sammet and his band members will present their greatest hits on the 'The Best Of The Best' tour. As a prelude to this, the upcoming double CD/DVD package Monuments will be released on July 14th, 2017. It will include brand new material, their best tracks of the last 25 years, and old rarities that have never been published before! In addition, the DVD includes an entire show from their 'Hellfire Club' tour in 2004 as well as the complete collection of their video clips. The limited edition will include an extensive coffee-table book containing material from throughout the entire history of EDGUY!

Now the band releases the first live-clip for the new album! It was shot during the 'Hellfire Club' tour at the Sao Paulo show in 2004.

The band statement:"We're extremely pleased and excited to announce our new singer Tiziano Spigno!
His live debut with us will be on July 7th at B.Est Fest.
Please don't expect a clone of our old singer GL. We have a great and deep gratitude for our former singer work and his long-time contribution in the band. We chose Tiziano for his own style and personality. We're sure you all will be positively surprised!
So please give a warm welcome to Tiziano.
A new chapter has begun!"

Peavy and his band signed at Pure Steel Records for the rerelease of their early material under the band names AVENGER and RAGE! The vinyl versions will be released as limited versions including tons of bonus material.<

What the label has in mind to release will be:

AVENGER Depraved To Black, Prayers Of Steel

RAGE Reign Of Fear, Execution Guaranteed, Perfect Man, Invisible Horizons, Secrets In A Weird World, Reflections Of a Shadow, Extended Power, Trapped!, Beyond The Wall, The Missing Link, Refuge, 10 Years In Rage: The Anniversary Album, Unity, Soundchaser, From The Cradle To The Stage

Of course we will begin with the outstanding start of the career from the German legend: AVENGER! Both albums Prayers of Steel (as double album!) and the EP Depraved to black (as single LP) you will get in a high-end edition. Finally, there will be an AVENGER-box including all AVENGER material!

It's been ten years now since De Profundis released their debut album, Beyond Redemption and milestones like that are worth celebrating. The band knew they wanted a release to mark this achievement, but they also knew they wanted to go about it in a different way. Zero Tolerance Magazine have always been big supporters of De Profundis and so the band decided to give something back to their loyal fans and the avid readers of the magazine...

Marking their 10 years, 10,000 copies of issue 079 of Zero Tolerance Magazine will come complete with a new retrospective compilation album from De Profundis, entitled Decayed: 2007 – 2017. The band have pulled out all the stops to make this collection something really special. Decayed... features one exclusive new track, An Orgy Of Grotesqueries, for which a powerful video has been created by Andy Pilkington of Very Metal Art and nine remastered classics that span De Profundis' entire career. This unique collection, available nowhere but with ZT mag, comes housed in a special sleeve designed by renowned Metal artist Gary Ronaldson, whose work has adorned albums and t-shirts by Kreator, Napalm Death, Misery Index, Benighted and many more. 10,000 copies of Decayed... will be heading off around the world with ZT 079, but when they're gone, they're gone forever.

It's been a long road from Beyond Redemption to Decayed... and along the way De Profundis have played with the likes of Iron Maiden, Lacuna Coil, Enslaved, Grand Magus, Gorgoroth, Taake, Malevolent Creation, Rotting Christ, Vader, Immolation, they've played in 24 countries, including India – and they've just finished a full European tour with David Vincent's I Am Morbid and gore legends Necrophagia.

There have been good times, there have been tough times, but most importantly there has been some amazing music – and with a new album already recorded, there's plenty more to come.
Track Listing:

Formed all the way back in 1991, Raleigh, NC Melodic Thrash outfit GROSS REALITY amassed an impressive live résumé throughout the early-'90s; sharing the stage with legends such as Bolt Thrower, Cannibal Corpse, Confessor, Deicide, Type O Negative, Unleashed. However, the band had left behind not a single recording at the time of their initial demise in 1996.

Reforming in 2009 at a time when high-level Thrash Metal was coming back with a vengeance, GROSS REALITY continued to gain exposure on the live front, performing alongside longstanding icons such as Death Angel and (at the time) relative newcomers such as Evile and Bonded by Blood alike. This culminated in 2014, when Divebomb Records finally unleashed the reunited group's long overdue debut full-length, Overthrow.

Now, three years later, GROSS REALITY's fine-tuned trio of longtime core members Daniel Powell (bass/vocals), Roland Arthur (guitar), and Jason Wheeler (drums) has prepared their intense sophomore outing, Escaping Gravity. The eight-song effort—once again produced by Jamie King at The Basement Recording—features gorgeous cover art by Par Olofsson and delves into lyrical topics as diverse as perseverance, the effects of war, alien abductions, and much more.

Escaping Gravity's individualistic brand of tight, high-energy thrash strikes a constant balance between focused aggression and emphatic melody—at times even dipping its toe into more ambitious and prog-leaning waters, sure to pique the interest of those in search of more technical and complex fare. The end result should appeal to fans of everyone from Testament to Powermad; not to mention a younger generation of listeners more accustomed to the contemporary sounds of acts like Charred Walls of the Damned, Havok, Gama Bomb.
TRACK LIST:

Dimensional

Event Horizon

Zero Day

The Incomplete

Invitation

Soul Worn Thin

Into The Vault

Escaping Gravity
Escaping Gravity is set for worldwide release on August 11th.

Sunrunner is a Heavy-Prog trio formed in 2008 in Portland, Meine, USA. The band is currently composed by David Joy (vocal/bass), Joe Martignetti (guitar) and Ted MacInnes (drums).

Sunrunner debuted with the album Eyes Of The Master (2011), a Prog Rock record with heavy metal leanings. Since then, their second album Time In Stone (2013), Sunrunner had solidified more into a Metal band with Prog Rock influence, using elements of Jazz and acoustic instruments such as violin, flute, bouzouki and percussion. Heliodromus, the third full length released in September 2015 by Minotauro Records (Italy), is the most epic one to date, defining the term Heavy-Prog as the bands genre.

The tour in promotion of Heliodromus included dates in US and also in South America, with four shows in Brazil. The band was beyond welcomed by the Brazilian audience.

Back to the studios, Sunrunner is already recording its new album at Acadia Recording Company in Porland, Maine, same studio where the band recorded Heliodromus. The production team will also be the same, Todd Hutchisen as sound engineer and Jimmy Martignetti as producer. The band will also again mix both analog and digital recording systems.

According to Joe Martignetti, nine new tracks are being planned to appear on the new album, including a new 20 minutes piece. "We began writing the new songs early 2016 and spent the majority of the year composing them. The songs are mostly all new ideas with a few old parts sprinkled throughout. The direction is slightly more straightforward than the previous three records. I think after writing Heliodromus we realized we enjoyed writing music that was a little less eccentric and experimental... more reminiscent of our roots. So we continued down this path. The new stuff has a really good balance. There is more Metal than Prog Rock. Less guest musicians and embellishments. But there is still plenty of odd time signatures. Lots of 5's and 9's."

Martignetti also added that the lyrics on the new album deal with 'Native American survival and philosophy' and this may reflect on the sonority, somehow. "There is some flutes and percussion, but it is minimal. We still have to track the vocals, but most of the instrumentation is complete. I know most musicians say this about their newest record, but this one is the best one we have done so far. Both Todd and Jimmy have done an amazing job on the production side of things. Still doing the old analog-digital-analog process. You will see, this is our best record and I can't wait for people to hear it!"

Finally, Mistheria is happy to announce the cover of his upcoming instrumental Metal album GEMINI. It's an original drawing made with digital technique by the artist Havane. Thanks a lot to Havane for such an amazing work!!! Mistheria totally loves it! It fits perfectly the concept of this album that he considers a milestone in his career, being a collection of his instrumental Metal songs composed between 1992 and 2015!

70000TONS OF METAL, The Original, The World's Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise, has announced ticket sales dates for Survivors and the first 16 of 60 bands to perform on board. The much-anticipated 8th edition sails from Miami / Fort Lauderdale, FL to Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands and back on February 1-5, 2018.

70000TONS OF METAL GOLD Survivors (festival goers who have attended three or more times) will be able to purchase tickets starting Friday July 7, 2017 at 12PM EDT (9AM PDT, 18:00 CEST and respectively 17:00 GMT+1).

SILVER Survivors (festival goers who have attended one or two times) will be able to purchase tickets starting Monday July 17, 2017 at 12PM EDT (9AM PDT, 18:00 CEST and respectively 17:00 GMT+1).

The Public Sales date will be announced in the coming weeks across all @70000tons social media pages and on the official 70000TONS OF METAL website.

Ticket prices for the 2018 cruise start at USD 766.00 plus Taxes and Fees per person and include on board accommodation, access to all shows, meals, room service as well as port and service charges.

"Every year I book a very diverse line-up trying to cover all sub-genres of Heavy Metal", says Andy PillerM, The Skipper of 70000TONS OF METAL. "The only thing that's even more diverse are our Survivors. Last year we welcomed Metalheads from 74 (seventy-four!) different Nations on board, making 70000TONS OF METAL truly feel like the United Nations of Heavy Metal... at Sea! Just imagine having people from all over the Globe on the same ship. Origin, race, language, religion, lifestyle, all of that does not matter anymore. You can feel the vibe on board that everyone is equal. That's what makes me most proud about 70000TONS OF METAL."

70000TONS OF METAL is The Original, The World's Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise, which features 60 Heavy Metal bands on board a luxury cruise ship performing across four stages, including The World's Biggest Open Air Stage Structure to Sail the Seas.

The Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas, one of the biggest cruise ships in the World, offers guests complimentary fine dining, 22 bars and lounges, 24 hour room service, and a host of activities and on board amenities.

With seven consecutive sellouts since the first voyage in 2011, this five-day, four-night Heavy Metal Music Festival and Caribbean vacation offers 3,000 Metalheads a once in a lifetime opportunity to mingle side-by-side with 60 world class Heavy Metal bands.

Every band plays twice and you get unrestricted festival access to 120+ live performances, including the Jamming with Waters in International Waters All-Star Jam, Meet & Greets with every band, intimate Artist Clinics & Workshops, exclusive Album Premiere Listening Sessions and much more. All of this with no VIP areas on board makes it feel like everyone has a Backstage Pass. If that's not enough, festival goers even get a chance to explore their Caribbean dream destination with Artist escorted shore excursions.

Oriental Metal pioneers ORPHANED LAND have just announced they will release a brand new studio album on January 26, 2018 via CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS. The album, which will be titled Unsung Prophets And Dead Messiahs, is mostly recorded and has been sent, once again, to Jens Bogren who will take over mixing and mastering duties of what is to be destined to become the band's best and biggest production so far. Unsung Prophets And Dead Messiahs will feature a guest appearance from guitar virtuoso Steve Hackett and more special additions will be announced soon.

Singer and frontman Kobi Farhi comments: "Hails from the recording studio! We are so thrilled and impatient for you all to hear Unsung Prophets And Dead Messiahs. I wish to inform our old-school fans, growls are back, as well as killer melodies that will break your hearts! On a personal note, It's such a great feeling after a career of 25 years to know that we are still at our bests by all means. Prepare for something strong! Count the days with us till Jan 26, 2018!"

Following the release of Unsung Prophets And Dead Messiahs, ORPHANED LAND will embark on an extensive European Tour throughout early 2018. Prior to this, the band will be seen touring North America later this year surrounding their featured set at the prestigious ProgPower USA Festival in Atlanta, Georgia.

ORPHANED LAND recently celebrated their 25th year anniversary with a digital compilation featuring special versions of some of their most popular songs and previously unreleased material titled, Orphaned Land & Friends.

Practitioners of traditional Metal, harbingers of doom, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania quintet ARGUS are the axiom of time-honored, classic Metal. Since their 2009 self-titled debut, ARGUS has enjoyed critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, warranting multiple European tours, festival appearances and stateside showcases. Their 2011 album Boldly Strides The Doomed and 2013 follow-up Beyond The Martyrs were equal in measure, showcasing the leather-lunged pipes of Brian 'Butch' Balich and an uncanny ability to create memorable, epic songs all within the familiar, lauded confines of tried-and-true Heavy Metal.

After an uncharacteristic four-year break between studio albums, ARGUS is back with From Fields Of Fire, set for a September 8 release via Cruz Del Sur Music. It will be the first album to feature guitarist/producer Dave Watson and bassist John Campbell, who join long-time members Balich, Jason Mucio (guitars) and Kevin Latchaw (drums). Recorded throughout various points in 2016 and 2017 at Tonic Studios in Pittsburgh with Watson manning the production board, From Fields Of Fire also finds Argus once again teaming up with visual artist Brad Moore for the album's eye-catching cover art.

"If you had told me in 2013 that it would be four years until the next album, I would've been incredulous, but sometimes that sort of thing happens", says Balich. "We didn't want to rush the material. Because ARGUS is really a labor of love for us, it will always be that we release music when we are ready and not a second sooner."

Draped in a warm, crystalline production job, From Fields Of Fire is kicked off by the punchy and stout Devils Of Your Time. As A Thousand Thieves sees the band going full gallop, evoking the glory days of IRON MAIDEN, while the dueling twin-guitar harmonies on 216 captures the instant chemistry between Mucio and Watson.

Elsewhere, the pounding You Are The Curse; soaring Infinite Lives, Infinite Doors and nimble Hour Of Longing offer up a degree of range and diversity emblematic of a band who has long come into its own as songwriters. However, From Fields Of Fire's undisputed highlight is the somber No Right To Grieve. Perhaps the band's darkest song to date, No Right To Grieve was born out of a song Balich and Watson thought would be better served in a joint project outside of ARGUS. However, it was simply too good to be left off From Fields Of Fire.

"The song revolves around the ideas of grief and the consequences of being involved in a relationship that is not out in the open&quor;, notes Balich. "So the song, in a nutshell, deals with a secreted relationship that ends when one of the partners dies and how the person left deals with that loss knowing that to publicly mourn and grieve would reveal the relationship. So they would be left with few options but grieve alone for fear of hurting those who were unaware of the relationship and who are already hurting from the death of this person."

A bona fide cult favorite in America and in continental Europe, ARGUS's status as true metal flag-bearers remains firmly intact with From Fields Of Fire. If anything else, the band's steady, gradual career arc proves there is no substitute for quality songwriting and a humble, fan-first approach.

"We hope the fans we have like it as much as we do and that it will have some meaning to them", concludes Balich. "It's kind of a waste of energy to concern ourselves much with how well it sells or is received by critics... Of course we want it to sell well and for it to be well-reviewed, but we are very realistic about the ways of the music business for a band like ARGUS and short of throwing away our jobs or selling our souls, it's a tough road for a band like ARGUS to make some headway. We're cool with that. Our goal is to create music with people we enjoy being in a band with. Our goal is to keep clawing for more ears to listen, more faces to be in the crowds at our shows…those are things we hope will happen."From Fields Of Fire track listing:

Into The Fields Of Fire

Devils Of Your Time

As A Thousand Thieves

216

You Are The Curse

Infinite Lives Infinite Doors

Hour Of Longing

No Right To Grieve

From The Fields Of Fire

You Are The Curse DEMO VERSION (LP BONUS TRACK)

216 DEMO VERSION (LP BONUS TRACK)

By Endurance We Conquer LIVE (LP BONUS TRACK)

A Curse On The World LIVE (LP BONUS TRACK)

Cruz del Sur Music / Mausoleum Gate 'Into a Dark Divinity' to be released Sept 8

MAUSOLEUM GATE's 2014 self-titled debut album was not as much of a revelation as it was a reminder of how vintage metal should be played. Bucking virtually every modern production trend, the Finns greeted audiences with a warm analog production sound, flanked by the star-gazing vocals of V-P Varpula and the classy twin guitar action of Count LaFey and Kasperi Puranen. Critical and fan acclaim soon followed, along with key festival appearances at Keep It True and Muskelrock, with many hailing MAUSOLEUM GATE as one of the most exciting new retro Metal bands on the scene.

Three years removed from their debut, the Finns return with the six-song Into a Dark Divinity, which is set for a September 8 release via Cruz Del Sur Music. Capitalizing on the self-titled debut's majestic sound, MAUSOLEUM GATE harnesses the keyboard-dominated bravado of classic DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW and blends it with the proto Metal visions of MANILLA ROAD and early IRON MAIDEN.

With an increased emphasis on Hammond C3 organ and keyboard interplay (courtesy of bass player Wicked Ischianus), songs such as Condemned To Darkness and the lurking Apophis augment the high-wire vocals of Varpula, who has further established himself as one of the most distinctive vocalists in traditional Metal. The melody-driven Solomon's Key and NWOBHM-inspired Horns recall an era where actual songwriting would make or break a band. The graceful closing title track also offers up a new angle from MAUSOLEUM GATE, showcasing lush textures and atmospheric acoustic guitar work.

A must-have for any and all traditional Metal aficionados, Into a Dark Divinity proves MAUSOLEUM GATE are one of the scene's best new true Metal torchbearers. Singular, alluring and able to captivate audiences of all varieties, MAUSOLEUM GATE represent a new front in authentic vintage Metal. Sophomore slump be damned – MAUSOLEUM GATE are the real deal.
Into a Dark Divinity track listing:

Condemned To Darkness

Burn The Witches At Dawn

Apophis

Solomon's Key

Horns

Into A Dark Divinity

InsideOut Music / Riverside Summer festival appearances and more European tour dates announced

RIVERSIDE vocalist/bassist Mariusz Duda comments about the band's ongoing touring cycle: "The aim of the 'Towards The Blue Horizon Tour' is to prove that Riverside, in spite of the earthquake of February 2016, have got back to their feet and have been reborn stronger than ever. We are really glad that after the extremely successful April leg in Poland and May leg in the Western Europe, we will be able to play the September leg in Scandinavia. We know that our fans in Sweden, Norway and Finland have been waiting for us for a long time. We're also going to play in Denmark for the first time. These will be incredibly emotional and unforgettable evenings. We look forward to seeing you all there!"

French Black Metal band Darkenhöld released their fourth album Memoria Sylvarum on Editions de la Vieille Tour Records. The album was
mixed/mastered by Guillaume Vrac at his home studio.

Darkenhöld was formed in 2008 at Nice, France by Aldebaran (former member of Artefact), Cervantes and Aboth (Continuum). After two split CD's and an appearance on a tribute to Emperor, the band released its first album, A Passage to the Towers in 2010. The second album Echoes From The Stone Keeper was released in 2012, and the third Castellum in 2014.

For Jag Panzer, team spirit is more important than anything else. Without team spirit, guitarist Mark Briody would no longer see any reason for continuing the band. "We're like a family, we've all known each other for many years", he says and looks back at the years between 2011 and 2013 when Jag Panzer were on the brink of calling it a day. "Two band members quit and there was little interest in hiring new people and starting over. Introducing new musicians would have been tough, so we decided to disband." But then the American Power Metal act's strong fan base made itself heard, causing the spark to be rekindled. Briody: "We had a lot of interest in our early albums, so my band mates soon noticed that people were still listening to Jag Panzer, that the audience was still there. We started talking on the phone more and more. Some excellent gig offers arrived so we decided we should get back together." What a stroke of good fortune, after all now the public can look forward to an accomplished comeback album. The Deviant Chord is a veritable metal manifesto, scheduled for release on Steamhammer/SPV on 29 September 2017, and consists of ten awesome songs featuring all those typical Jag Panzer strengths that the band's fans have come to appreciate.

Together with band members John Tetley (bass), Harry 'The Tyrant' Conklin (vocals), Rikard Stjernquist (drums) and Joey Tafolla (lead guitar), who has returned to the fold, Briody has recorded an album that impresses in every respect and that benefits from the outstanding qualities of all five band members. "John does our 'quality control', meaning that he makes sure every song we do is the best it can be. Harry is a musical genius. He's been singing since we were kids, he's very skilled in vocal arrangements and vocal recording techniques. This skill makes him a very big contributor in the songwriting. Rikard is all about drumming. He's been drumming since he was a small child and has never stopped. He grew up living all around the world and he has always been in a band. Joey is the classic lead player in every sense of the world. He has amazing skill on the guitar plus an outstanding stage presence. His playing makes every song better."

The Deviant Chord will be available as a CD Digipak (including poster) and double LP coloured version as well as for download and streaming. The cover artwork was created by Serbian artist Dusan Markovic and reflects the album's haunting atmosphere perfectly. Briody gives also some hints: ">Fans of both science fiction and real life scientists should look closely at the new Jag Panzer album as the band has placed a few hidden tributes in the album art!"

There can be no doubt: the spark has rekindled the fire in Jag Panzer and it's burning brightly. Briody: "The mood in the band is very focused. This album was the first time we did multiple demos for every song. So everyone has been very involved in every step. Each band member got to see a song grow and change with time. That's very exciting for us. And we're all excited to unleash The Deviant Chord unto the world."

"Great news! The Amaranthe line-up is once again complete – and what an addition Nils Molin is! He was at the very top of the list for the male vocals position, and has already proved his worth on a number of shows with Amaranthe across Europe.Nils is a born Rockstar in every aspect yet with a natural sense of humility, and is certain to leave no fan disappointed! He has gathered a vast amount of experience together with DYNAZTY, and as such has honed his performance skills to perfection; since stepping in he is already a natural part of the line-up.
Catch Nils on our upcoming European tour, or any of the planned shows for 2017 – and expect great things to come out of this soon!"Olof Mörck

"To have been given the opportunity to join the force of nature that is Amaranthe, is as thrilling as it is honouring. Amaranthe is a band with a sense of uniqueness, skill and personality that you don't come across often. I'm also thankful for having been given the opportunity to continue my work in Dynazty.

I will do my utmost to bring my absolute A-game to contribute to Amaranthe's future! To say that I'm excited is an understatement! Let's do this!"Nils Molin

Scarlet Records / TEMPERANCE 'MASCHERE: A NIGHT AT THE THEATER' OUT IN SEPTEMBER

Melodic metallers Temperance are going to release their first live DVD Maschere – A Night At The Theater on September 9th on Scarlet Records. Temperance captured on DVD an outstanding performance in the picturesque setting of Teatro Sociale in Alba, Italy, a theatre show which marks an important milestone in their fast rising career, following the release of the critically acclaimed third album The Earth Embraces Us All, a European tour with Luca Turilli's Rhapsody and shows with the likes of Nightwish, Epica and many others, for over a total of 100 concerts in 3 years. This is how guitarist Marco Pastorino commented: "A live DVD is a milestone for every band and we are releasing it pretty early on in our career, its like a dream come true. Since the moment we started this band we've always thought that writing songs that one day could be performed with a string quartet and a choir would be our goal. And here we are playing with these amazing musicians! We worked really hard to get here and we see this as a new starting point for the band. With this new release we also took the chance to present our new drummer Alfonso Mocerino (from the classic Italian Progressive band Il Balletto Di Bronzo) to our fans! His drumming on this DVD is out of this world!"MASCHERE: A NIGHT AT THE THEATER tracklist:

A Thousand Places

At The Edge Of Space

Unspoken Words

Empty Lines

Maschere

Haze

Fragments Of Life

Revolution / Drum solo

Advice From A Caterpillar

Change The Rhyme

The Restless Ride

Oblivion

Hero

Bass solo

Mr. White

Me Myself & I

Breathe

Save Me

Deja Vu
Maschere: A Night At The Theater will be released on September 8th in DVD+CD format.

VESCERA has released a new video for the song In The Night. That song is on the album Beyond The Fight, which was released on April 7th, 2017 via PURE STEEL RECORDS. The limited Vinyledition will be release on 28th July 2017 and consist of 300 black copies, with 2 bonustracks and insert.

The outstanding singer MICHAEL VESCERA signs a worldwide deal with Pure Steel Records, after his solo project, Michael Vescera finally has formed a real band. His new album Beyond The Fight with the EX-NITEHAWKS musicians Mike Petrone (g), Frank Leone (b) and Fabio Alessandrini (dr) will be released by Pure Steel Records!

So you will get now finest Melodic Metal with US-american influences. Of course the production is superbe and supports the heavy melodic songs at its best! If you are into melodic Metal with a really heavy edge it is a must to listen to Beyond the fight!

CHASTAIN has released a new video for the song All Hail. That song is on the album We Bleed Metal 17, which will be release August 25th, 2017 via PURE STEEL RECORDS.

CHASTAIN's We Bleed Metal 17 has the same drums and vocals as the original We Bleed Metal but it has 100% new and completely different music. A totally different sound and feel from the original version. Also We Bleed Metal 17 has a very live sound near to a real live concert.

Recently, Italian deathsters Emortualis has signed with The Spew Records (Punishment 18 Records sublabel) for the release of their debut Biological. The album was recorded by the supervision of Stefano Ferrian (SYK, Psychofagist).

The creativity and productivity of the German Heavy Metal trio RAGE seems to have no limits. Only 14 months after the successful The Devil Strikes Again neckbreaker, RAGE deliver their new, 23rd studio album called Seasons Of The Black, which will be released on July 28th! Watch the new album trailer the band has released now.

Heavy Metal pioneers ACCEPT are back in the game with a new studio album! The record entitled The Rise Of Chaos, will be unleashed on August 4th, 2017. The band's 4th studio release through Nuclear Blast will continue the tradition of its three predecessors - Blood Of The Nations, Stalingrad, Blind Rage - with grandeur and precision.

Now the band releases their first album trailer, which was filmed at the recent ACCEPT media day in Hamburg on June 13th. A press conference took place on the day featuring Wolf Hoffmann and Holger Hübner, the WACKEN Festival organiser, both looking ahead to ACCEPT's exclusive upcoming Wacken performance. To wrap up the day, Wolf signed the infamous 'Golden Book' which belongs to the Hard Rock café in Hamburg.

HUMAN FORTRESS to play headlining gig and start rehearsing for new album!

HUMAN FORTRESS vocalists Gus Monsanto has arrivied in Germany last week to rehearse with the band for their upcoming gigs (supporting ORDEN OGAN on their 'Gunmen' release shows). The band has now additionally booked a headline gig (the first since many years) for July 16th in their hometown Hannover, Germany. Supporting act will be King Leoric and the concert is about to take place at the 'LUX' club. And more good news: the band is already working on material for their next album.

Tuesday The Sky and Drift sees Matheos expanding the boundaries of his playing and sound even further than ever before. Drift came together in the downtime between Fates Warning finishing Theories Of Flight and the beginning of the touring cycle, enabling Matheos to explore a type of atmospheric and instrumental music you might not expect of him. Taking cues from artists like Brian Eno, Boards Of Canada, Sigur Ros, Explosions In The Sky, he explores expansive textures and ambient electronica, as well as some of the most colossal riffs he has ever produced.

Drift also features the talents of God Is An Astronaut's drummer Lloyd Hanney, who provides a rhythmic backbone that is at once punchy, precise and restrained when necessary. Other guests include long-time OSI collaborator and former Dream Theater member Kevin Moore who plays keys on two songs as well as Anna-Lynne Williams (Trespassers William, Lotte Kestner), who provides ethereal vocals (of the non-verbal kind) on two other songs.

Drift comes with cover artwork created by Jan Tomic and is available as special edition CD, black LP + CD & digital download.
Tuesday The Sky - Drift (49:04):

TANK have successfully recruited Pink Cream 69 vocalist David Readman into their ranks to replace the recently departed ZP Theart who is now a full time member of US rockers Skid Row.

Cliff Evans: "We're really pleased for ZP and hope that everything works out for him. He's always been a massive fan of Skid Row so it must be so cool for him to be able to front those guys on stage and sing the songs he's grown up with. We'll miss touring and recording with ZP but we wish him all the very best for the future."

Mick Tucker: "We recorded one of our best albums with ZP (Valley of Tears) and shared the stage for many great shows around the world during the three years that we worked together. He will be missed but as usual we thrive on a challenge and are constantly looking to up our game and push the boundaries that little bit further. We've always been an admirer of Readman's particular vocal style and range but never thought the opportunity would arise where it would be possible for us to work together."

David Readman: "It feels great to make music with a British band with a vast musical history. It's been over 20 years since I played in a British band, this is a sort of home coming for me. Mick also lives in the Netherlands, so many connections, I couldn't miss this one."

In recent years TANK have been fronted by some of the best rock vocalists around including former Rainbow frontman Doogie White, who recorded the War Machine, War Nation albums plus former Dragonforce and current Skid Row vocalist ZP Theart who's featured on the best-selling album, Valley of Tears. With the addition of David Readman means that TANK can once again move forward into unchartered territory and take their trademark style of British rock to a whole new level.

Readman's first live appearances with TANK will be in Hamburg (Pussy Galore) on July, 7th and the Rockharz Festival in Ballenstadt, Germany on July, 8th.

DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER states: "After a long journey through Thailand, Cambodia and Japan, we met for the first time again in the summer of 2016. After an exuberant party, we went to the rehearsal room in the middle of the night to jam together. It was pure magic. 'We are back' was born in this incredible session and from that day on we knew that there would be a new album. The song has everything that makes a real REITER song: joy, passion and tempo. He is the first song we wrote for Der Rote Reiter and there could be no other opener than it. We love this song, it means a lot to us."

It is accomplished - the Norwegian Progressive Black avantgardists ENSLAVED have finished the recording process of their 14th full-length masterpiece and in the renowned Fascination Street Studios, Jens Bogren polished this new raw diamond with his mixing and mastering skills. Just like for their predecessor In Times, which stormed the soundcheck rankings of the biggest European magazines, the Metal veterans from Bergen still never look back and keep expanding their horizons. And this spring they created a spectacular sound chimera of experimental Prog filled with majestic melodies, epic sound landscapes and harsh Black Metal moments - all united in a massive storm that will reach the coast this autumn.

"I'm always psyched and proud when we have finished an album recording, and this is no exeption!" states singer Grutle Kjellson. "It was a really exciting process this time, with the line-up change and everything, so although it wasn't a dramatic change, the band dynamics were suddenly different. But, it was like a little re-boot, a fresh start so to speak. The studio sessions were great, and we all feel that we have done something truly amazing. We hope you'll enjoy it. Ugh!"

The first full-length from Brazilian Heavy Metal band WILD WITCH is scheduled for release between August and September by Arthorium Records. The CD titled The Offering will present a cover art with old-school style photography, reminiscent of books and films from the 70s and 80s, as well as a rich 16 page booklet. The album will feature 8 tracks summing 40 minutes.

The cover photograph is signed by Mateus Cantaleäno (Murdeath). The audio, co-produced by the band, was recorded and mixed by Maiko Tomé at the Avant Garde Studio and mastered by Maiko Tomé and Arthur Migotto.
Tracklist:

Heavy Metal Inferno

Night Rulers

To the Lions!

From Purgatory

Diabolic Jaws

Blades of Pain

Exiles in Hell

Lightning on the Road
WILD WITCH drew attention from the public of the genre in 2012 with the independent release of the EP Burning Chains, reissued on tape in 2013 by Infernö Records (France), and having subsequently received invitations to support names such as LEATHER LEONE (USA) And CAULDRON (CAN). Now, reduced to a trio (with the position of vocalist assumed by bassist Felipe 'Rippervert'), WILD WITCH is excited about the possibilities for the debut, that counts on recording of better quality than the previous material and will have distribution in the United Kingdom by Code7 and in Brazil and other countries by Arthorium Records, through partnerships with independent labels and stores.

In February 1992, a bunch of German kids set out from the middle of nowhere and founded a band that would conquer the hearts of a whole new generation of fans around the globe!

Now, 25 years later, founding members Tobias Sammet (AVANTASIA) and the two guitarists Jens Ludwig and Dirk Sauer, as well as Tobias 'Eggi' Exxel (bass) and Felix Bohnke (drums), who joined the band 20 years ago, can look back at their hugely successful career to shows in more than 40 countries, countless tours in Asia, Australia and America, ten studio albums and top 10 chart entries from all over the world.

To celebrate such an exceptional career with their fans, EDGUY will get back on the road. And while the live program will only contain the best material of their entire career, the new release will not be just a 'Greatest Hits' album one would expect to accompany such a tour: The 2-CD/DVD-package Monuments (release: July 14th) will include brand new material, their best tracks of the last 25 years, and old rarities that have never been published before! In addition, the DVD includes an entire show from their 'Hellfire Club' tour in 2004 as well as the complete collection of their video clips. The limited edition will include an extensive coffee-table book containing material from throughout the entire history of EDGUY!

The creativity and productivity of the German Heavy Metal trio RAGE seems to have no limits. Only 14 months after the successful The Devil Strikes Again neckbreaker, RAGE deliver their new, 23rd studio album called Seasons Of The Black, which will be released on July 28th!

These bonus tracks originate from the time when RAGE was still called AVENGER. Peavy comments: "It was really nice to re-record the songs from my first years of being a musician! I remember quite well how the songs were created. I always thought that it's a pity that most of the people don't know these songs, just because they were released with another band name. For me it was always clear that these songs are kind of timeless and when we played them together it was really awesome! Back then, we couldn't realise our ideas as good as today. When you listen to the new recordings you will recognize how fantastic these songs really are!"

American blackened Death Metal band Tierkrieger released their debut EP Tribulation Requiems. The EP was recorded at Sound Legion Audio and mix/mastered by Travis Weickum.

Tierkrieger was formed in 2013 at Loveland, Colorado. With their unique sound they have carved a niche in the local scene playing with other greats like Sovereign (AZ), Ruines of Abbadon (CA), and Execration (CO).

Furia Music Press / Shadowside to release new album Shades of Humanity in July

Brazilian/Swedish metallers SHADOWSIDE revealed more details about their upcoming album. After several international tours and achieving international notoriety with the highly praised Inner Monster Out, in 2012, the band announces their brand new work Shades of Humanity, marking the official debut of their new bassist Magnus Rosén (ex-Hammerfall).

Shades of Humanity explores deep subjects such as depression, abortion, the Mariana dam disaster in Brazil and mankind's moral values, branching out in musical ways nobody expected while still keeping their heavy guitar riffs and catchy melodies. The album was produced and mixed by Fredrik Nordström (Arch Enemy, Hammerfall, Evergrey, In Flames, Dream Evil) and Henrik Udd (Architects, Dimmu Borgir, Dream Evil, Arch Enemy, Bring me the Horizon) in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Shades of Humanity features tracks such as Unreality, written by Magnus Rosén in partnership with guitarist Andy La Rocque (King Diamond), as well as go-for-the-throat scorchers like Insidious Me, modern-edged crushers Make My Fate and The Fall and Alive, track that is also going to be the album's first music video.

The cover artwork was developed by designer Douglas Jen of Furia Music, and demonstrates the heavy atmosphere of the lyrics, representing the several aspects of human personality, marked by defects and unfinished drawings that symbolize the imperfection of all people.

The album will be released in Japan on July 26 via Spiritual Beast, in North America/Europe on July 28 via EMP Label Group, owned by Megadeth's bassist Dave Ellefson, and in Brazil on September 4 via Furia Music Records.

Jolly Roger Records is proud to announce Buttered Bacon Biscuits From the Solitary Woods is now available. Originally out in 2009 as self-produced CD, features 2 members now in Witchwood: mastermind Ricky Dal Pane (Vocals, Guitar) and Stefano Olivi (Hammond, Keys). This reissue, with a 'new' artwork, makes available again on Cd and for the very first time on LP format, a great album influenced by bands as Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Genesis, Uriah Heep, Humble Pie, Allman Brothers, Blue Oyster Cult, Atomic Rooster, King Crimson, showing Dal Pane's talent as songwriter and his huge potential, then fully expressed in Witchwood, creating infact their roots.

Swiss Heavy Metal band Age of Disclosure released their debut album To the Universe. The album was recorded and mixed by Syn Schütz at Roar Recording Studio and mastered by Sky van Hoff (Kreator, The Sorrow, Caliban).

Age of Disclosure was formed at Bern, Switzerland in 2015 by Ben Sollberger and Adriano Troiano (Distant Past, ex-Emerald). Later many different vocalists joined the project. Orlando Skrylls (Skrylls, ex-Draven), Jvo Julmy (Distant Past, ex-Emerald), Roman Burri (No Reward, ex-Scream your Name), and Syn Schütz (The Hunt, ex-Draven). Last but surely not least, Buddah Craven (Underskin, ex-Acidcell) gave his okay to play the drums on the debut album.